Transformers: The Cybertron Wars
by Mixedfan8643
Summary: My own Transformers series. Join the Autobots as they fight against the evil forces of the Decepticons and fight for their freedom in the world of Cybertron. War is everywhere and only one faction can emerge victorious. Who will it be? Autobots...or Decepticons?
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: I've given you my own Sonic universe, I've given you my own Batman universe. Now I have given you my own Transformers universe with this new fanfic!**

 **For details about this universe and what to expect, please visit my DeviantArt account for a four-part essay detailing what my version of the Transformers will be like and which characters we'll be seeing: gallery/64197522/Cybertron-8643-My-Transformers-Universe**

 **There will be differences to other continuities and I hope you'll like them and what I have in store for this series. Oh and this'll be a pretty dark fanfic too so don't expect it to be like your usual Transformers. Think of it, tone wise, as Transformers Prime…only darker. And there won't be any humans in this story either, this fanfic is to be placed SQUARELY on Cybertron. We will not be visiting Earth at all in this series. So Transformers fans sit back, relax and enjoy as we begin Transformers…The Cybertron Wars!**

 _Prologue_

Kaon City. Once a proud city that was an example of Cybertron's gleaming architecture and cybernetic atmosphere. Once a huge example of an industrial place and the heart of Cybertron's city network. Nowadays, Kaon had a more fearsome reputation. Nobody would ever think highly of this city now it had become a symbol of oppression. A symbol for war…

The lone Autobot that was approaching the city was aware of this already. She knew what Kaon City stood for now. It was the capital city of the arch-enemies of her faction, the ones who had started this war and carried it on to its second decade. Kaon City was now the capital city of the Decepticon faction. The Autobot could see its evil symbol glaring out at her from the huge tower that stretched up from the centre of the city. The symbol itself seemed to drip with evil thanks to its four-pointed head and evil, triangular eyes. Legend said that this symbol was based upon the features of one of the Thirteen Primes, known to the Autobots as "The Fallen". He had become the first Decepticon and the Autobot could easily see some resemblance to the fallen Prime in the symbol. She hated seeing that symbol and hoped that sometime soon, they would tear it down and never have to hang it up again.

The fem-bot leapt over a huge bump in the road as she continued approaching Kaon. As she moved, a soft whirring sound emitted from her hover pads. This wasn't her normal form, but it was an example of just how highly-advanced her race was. The people of Cybertron, known as Cybertronians, had a very special gift. They were gifted with the ability to shape-shift. The fem-bot was in her alternate, or "vehicle mode", right now. In this form, she was a dark purple hover-cycle with pink linings around the hover pads and windshield. Of all Cybertronians who could transform into hover-cycles, this one was the fastest. Her speed would be crucial to her mission and she knew it. This was Decepticon territory and she'd need to make a quick getaway if necessary.

The hover-cycle pressed forward, the city of Kaon growing bigger and bigger the closer she came. She weaved around a huge hole in the road to avoid falling down it and sped up towards a piece of metal that was sticking up from the road. It was like riding up a ramp and the fem-bot felt a wave of exhilaration as she briefly became airborne. She came down quickly but never touched the road thanks to her hover pads. She turned off to one side and drove towards a more shadowy area around the city. She was hoping the shadows would make her harder for any Decepticons on duty to spot. No missiles or lasers came her way so far. Now then, where was that sewer hole she'd been directed to? The Autobot kept on driving, keeping a look out for the specified area she had set out to find. Her intel had found her a way into the city and she was hoping to find it quick. Being out here with Decepticons just ahead was risky as any one of them could shoot before she knew it.

The fem-bot let out a gasp and quickly rushed behind a chunk of debris that had fallen from a spaceship a while back. She had spotted the Decepticon's flagship vessel, _The Nemesis_ , flying over the city and was now praying to Primus she hadn't been spotted. _The Nemesis_ was a colossal, metallic beast of a vessel with a lot of pointy fins, wings and powerful jet engines that allowed it to travel far and fast without any problems. The front of it seemed to have eyes too, giving anybody who saw the ship the eerie implication it was "watching" them from above. The Autobot waited to see if _The Nemesis_ would leave. A few minutes passed before the ship turned around to watch over another section of the city. Sighing with relief, the hover-cycle started up again and sped off.

Her windshield blipped as the crosshairs of her scanners homed in ahead of her and circled a section of the road with the words "Target Found" flashing in front of her. She had found the way in! The alien machine stopped just in front of a huge grate with the Decepticon logo printed in the centre and quickly transformed so she could open it up. The process was like a scientific magic trick. One minute she was a hover-cycle, the next she was now a tall, slender robot with a humanoid appearance and a feminine figure. Parts shifted and folded all around her as she took form. The fem-bot had a design that radiated agility and speed, but also beauty and grace. Her blue optical sensors ran over the grate she had been instructed to find and she grabbed a hold of it, pulling with all her might. A bit of worry flickered in her spark as she did this. What if some alarm went off once the sewer was open? She pulled the grate open but nothing happened. Maybe it was time those Decepticons upped their security!

The fem-bot quietly slipped into the sewer, closing the hole up behind her by letting the grate quietly close. She splashed down into a shallow pool of scummy water that swept through the tunnel. Why were sewers always dirty, smelly places? Was there ever such thing as a clean sewer? Ignoring the stench, the fem-bot placed a finger to the comlink in her audio receptor.

"Beachcomber? This is Autobot Leader Arcee. I'm in the sewage tunnel that you found and gave me the coordinates to. Over." she said.

Her intel was meant to reply to let her know that everything was going according to plan. But Arcee was met with only the tell-tale sound of static. She tried again.

"Beachcomber, its Arcee! Please respond! Over."

Still no reply. What on Cybertron could have happened to that Autobot? Arcee began to feel the first stirrings of worry well up in her pistons. Could it be…?

"Scrap…I hope you're still alive by the time I get to you Beach." the fem-bot said grimly.

She walked on into the tunnels. She didn't dare transform in case the sound of her transforming and the whirring of her vehicle mode drew attention to her. Arcee would just have to make the journey on foot. She thought back to what had drawn her here. Beachcomber had been on a scouting mission and found a way into the Decepticon base. He had marked it to Arcee and requested her to come in and join him in this espionage mission. The Autobots were concerned on what the Decepticons were up to next and Arcee wanted to be the first to find out their plans. It was her duty as Autobot leader to find out whatever the Cons are up to. She roamed through the tunnels for a few minutes before coming to a few streaks of light shining through a barred grate up above. Arcee approached it and looked up. She could just make out a wall, showing she was inside the building. Would she open the grate and walk into a hall of Decepticons?

Arcee grabbed hold of the grate and eased it open slightly. The hall was empty, the only sign of any life being that of a worker drone walking around the corner and heading down another corridor. Arcee climbed out of the sewer tunnel and into the hall. She was in! Now where to find the Decepticon leader? She began to slowly traipse through the hall, making sure nobody could see her. Still no Decepticons coming so far. Arcee swept her optics around the hall, looking for any signs that the bot in charge of the cons was around. She came across a door and was curious to see where it went. Unfortunately, it required a handprint to open it and Arcee knew for a fact it would register her. Only Decepticons would get through THIS door. She could hear footsteps and frantically searched for a place to hide. She saw a hatch in the ceiling and opened it up quickly. She just managed to pull herself up and swing the hatch shut before a worker drone walked by and approached the door. Luckily for her, it was going to enter this room. It pressed its hand against the scanner pad and waited for a moment as a purple light swept over its hand. It recognized the Decepticon signature and the door opened, allowing the drone in. Seizing her chance, Arcee opened up the hatch and jumped down, rolling forward through the door before it could close.

She was in another corridor, but she could see that there was a huge door with a Decepticon logo perched above it. The drone was heading to that door. Maybe something important was behind it! Arcee crept up to the drone as it opened up the door, watching the two halves separate and slide away to let the drone in. She tried not to look at the Decepticon logo just above. Arcee hated seeing that symbol everywhere. She always had the sinister feeling that it was somehow watching her, that the Cons could see her every move through that symbol. She slipped inside and crouched down, making herself look as scarce as possible. She saw a table nearby and quickly crawled under it. With any luck, nobody would see her under the table.

Arcee balked at the scene that lay before her from under the table. She was in a huge laboratory that had massive tables all lined with various cybernetic equipment and machinery all over. The walls had moving purple lights that slowly swept up from the floor to the ceiling, making the lab seem almost organic, as if it was alive in some way. And the lab wasn't empty. Arcee saw the one Con she had expected to see in a place like this. She could feel the floor shudder as giant footsteps pounded down with every step taken. She glanced up to see a giant purple Cybertronian with twin antenna standing up on either side of his head, a single circular red optical lens and a massive cannon in place of one arm. This was the Decepticon leader himself…Shockwave. Taking over from the late Megatron, Shockwave was the Con who was carrying out all Decepticon operations and the Con Arcee hated more than any other. Just looking at him made her feel sick. Anyone who actually supported Megatron and wanted to rule in his stead was deserving of being scrapped to her.

She resisted the urge to attack Shockwave right now and waited, listening in as he approached the drone that had entered the lab.

"You brought the specified materials I asked for?" Shockwave asked.

He had a deep voice and spoke in complete monotone, sounding emotionless and more like a stereotypical robot that any other Cybertronian out there. If anybody could speak and somehow sound lifeless, it was Shockwave.

"Everything you asked for master." the drone said, handing over a crate containing various chemicals.

Shockwave took the crate, effortlessly holding it aloft in in his one hand as if it weighed nothing. He placed the crate down on a table and opened it up to scan its contents. The drone had brought in everything he had asked for. Satisfied, Shockwave began to unpack.

"Good work." he muttered, "With these chemicals to add to the formula, we shall develop the biological weapon that Megatron had planned to create all these years ago. With it, we shall wipe out the Autobots."

"Would you say the Biological Warfare Programme will be a success if this plague works?" the drone asked.

"Affirmative." Shockwave replied, "Megatron's death only delayed the programme's work. Now I shall see it to its fruition. The plague will be our key to the Autobot's destruction. It is only logical to use a weapon that'll be unexpected and can kill millions in one fell swoop than to keep relying on senseless firepower."

"And you're gonna make a cure for that right?" the drone asked, "I mean, what if we caught it by accident?"

"Your statement is logical. And that is why Megatron also had that contingency." Shockwave agreed, "Once testing is successful, I shall develop a cure to counteract the plague. It would be foolish of us to create a virus without a cure."

He picked up a jar of some kind of luminous, pulsating liquid.

"You can leave now." the purple Con ordered.

The drone obeyed and left the room, leaving his master to work in peace. Arcee had to take a moment to let her computerized brain absorb everything she'd heard. A plague? Bringing back the Biological Warfare Programme? An idea from Megatron himself?! The Autobot knew that she couldn't let this hideous experiment continue. Whatever this "plague" was, it was going to destroy the Autobots and she wasn't going to let that happen! But what to do? She could always hope Shockwave was going to leave the lab and then destroy his work. But how long should she wait? Could she even wait for long? What about Beachcomber? He could still be in trouble! The she-bot made her decision. She could destroy the plague later. Beachcomber's life mattered more. Arcee would warn the Autobots about it when she returned. The Bot leader quietly slipped out from under the table…and screamed as she was suddenly seized and hauled up onto her feet by some unexpected thing.

"Ooooh hoo, hoo, hoo! What do we have here? A juicy little fem-bot for me to scrap!"

Arcee cringed, recognizing the horrible, slithering voice of Carbide. Carbide was the Decepticon's chief interrogator, and known to be highly sadistic, imploring torturous killings and finding ways to make her victims suffer. Of all Decepticons to capture her, why her?! Carbide was female like Arcee, only more evil looking that beautiful with her spiked shoulders, bladed arms, bladed kneepads and wicked smile. She had a bar spinner on one arm that could slice through anything and she was clearly itching to use it. The devious Decepticon cackled, baring her claws.

"Well, well, well…thought you could snoop in here did you?" she sneered, "You should know better than to think that you can infiltrate Shockwave's lair and escape with your life!"

Arcee struggled in the interrogator's grasp, trying to break free. She gasped in horror as Shockwave suddenly approached, having been interrupted from his work by Carbide's catch. His optic seemed to flash with what looked like anger, though Arcee couldn't tell. He was not at all happy to see her, even if he made his emotions hard to read.

"You have only seconds to explain yourself Arcee, before I end up vaporizing you where you stand." the Decepticon muttered, his tone flat but somehow still sounding menacing.

Arcee had no choice but to speak. If she could stall for time, she might just find a way out of this!

"I broke into this place to find my friend, Beachcomber." Arcee explained, "He had found a way in, and directed me to it."

For some reason, mentioning Beachcomber's name seemed to make Carbide break out into fits of hysterical laughter. There was no humour in her laugh though, only cruel delight and pleasure.

"Beachcomber?! You mean that puny little scout I just scrapped seconds ago?!" Carbide screeched, "Ha, ha, ha! You should've seen the look on his face when I threw him into my torture chamber and watched as the Scraplets devoured him alive! My assistants are still cleaning up his parts now!"

Arcee's spark sank. It was just as she'd feared. Beachcomber had been captured and killed. Another Autobot victim of the Decepticon faction. Her eyes closed as she allowed herself a moment to grieve for her fallen comrade. His cheerful attitude would be deeply missed. Shockwave glowered at Arcee, his singular optic focused squarely on her.

"You were foolish to come here alone Arcee. Most illogical. And now you're going to join Beachcomber in death." Shockwave said stoically, "Carbide, you may take her away to do with as you please."

"Oh thank you so much Shockwave!" Carbide cried excitedly, "Ha, ha, ha! What a pleasure this'll be, getting to kill the Autobot leader herself! I do hope she screams good and loud when I bring out my equipment!"

"You don't need to torture me Carbide." Arcee spat, "Just listening to you talk is torture enough."

Carbide ignored her prisoner and hauled her out of the lab, leaving Shockwave to continue working. But just at the last minute, Arcee managed to deploy one of her arm-cannons, take aim and fire at Shockwave's worktable. The single shot slammed straight into the table, destroying much of the contents on it and spilling chemicals everywhere. Shockwave leapt back in alarm and turned, clenching his one fist in rage. Arcee smirked. It always felt good to see the one-eyed freak mad. Carbide growled angrily, throwing Arcee down onto the floor and pinning her with her foot. She pressed down hard on her back to keep her from moving.

"You bitch! Whatever Shockwave was working on, you've gone and ruined now! I'm gonna rip you apart right here, right now and donate every piece of you back to the Autobots!" she snarled.

"Leave some of her for me to use." Shockwave ordered, "It would be a great disservice to this heathen if I was to use any part of her in my experiments. And given she destroyed what would've been my plague…I would be happy to watch her die Carbide."

"Then allow me to give you the great pleasure of watching this scrapheap die at my blade!" the interrogator cackled.

She started up her bar spinner, the sharp weapon spinning up to about 5000RPM within two seconds. Arcee grimaced as a haunting, high-pitched hum emitted from the blade. If death could be heard, it would sound like that blade. Carbide began to bring it down towards Arcee's back, intending to cut her to pieces while the Autobot was still conscious. How long would she last before her spark gave out on her? But as the blade came near, Arcee turned her head and smirked at the Cons.

"Before you scrap me, just one question." she said coolly, "Did you two REALLY think for one minute that I would've come here alone?"

Carbide stopped spinning her blade and looked at Shockwave, who looked back at her in puzzlement. Arcee had raised a good point, how did they allow themselves to be stupid enough to think she would come here alone?! Too late, they had realized, they had been tricked! The room suddenly lurched and the two Cons found themselves stumbling to one side and crashing into the wall. There was the sound of a loud explosion outside that followed what had happened. The base was under attack! It sounded like somebody was launching missiles of some kind at the base. Shockwave understood what Arcee had done. She had set up an ambush in the event of her capture so she could escape! He glared at the fem-bot, who picked herself up as if nothing was happening.

"Most logical of you to have a contingency plan." he stated, his tone matter-of-fact, "But do not expect to leave this place alive."

He aimed his cannon arm at the Cybertronian and fired a single shot powerful enough to blow her entire head off. Arcee just had time to dodge, crying out as the sizzling plasma blast hurled right over her. It hit the wall, blowing a chunk out of it as if it was merely plaster. Arcee drew out a pair of katanas she had stored in pouches on her thighs and ran towards Shockwave, roaring viciously as she scythed towards him. Carbide was the one she ended up hitting however as the she-Con shielded Shockwave from the blow. Arcee's katanas raked across Carbide's arms but did no damage. All they did was create sparks. Arcee sliced again with her katana, nicking Carbide across the cheek. The Decepticon just sneered as if it didn't hurt and she swiped back with her clawed hands. Arcee clashed with Carbide and kicked her in the stomach. The Decepticon retaliated by throwing an uppercut into the Autobot's chin. Arcee's head snapped backwards and she almost toppled over. She recovered and slashed at Carbide with her katanas again. Carbide held up the arm with the bar spinner, a mighty clanging sound ringing through the room as the two fem-bot's weapons hit.

Carbide then spun up her spinner, the sinister hum filling Arcee's audio receptors once more as it quickly picked up speed. Arcee swiped with her katana, showers of sparks leaping up into the air as the spinning blade and her swords hit. She knew she couldn't do this too much or Carbide would simply snap her blades in half. She leapt back as her opponent tried to cut her up, but wasn't quite fast enough and received a large slash across the abdomen plating from the sadistic fem-bot. Arcee grimaced, but held her pain enough to dodge another attack from Carbide. Arcee leapt into the air, spun around and roundhouse kicked Carbide in the face. The fem-Con grunted from the impact, trying to ignore the pain enough to prepare for another attack. She didn't quite recover fast enough as Arcee suddenly lunged forward with her katana and impaled her through both shoulders. Carbide cried out but her pain quickly turned to laughter as she cackled mockingly.

"You think you can harm me?" she sneered, "I'm the Mistress of Torture! I'm resilient to most forms of pain!"

"Then maybe I can find a form of pain that even you will think is too much." Arcee scoffed.

She then raised one of her legs and kicked Carbide in the stomach, sending her tumbling backwards. She didn't quite go down and Arcee decided to make sure that she finally did. She ran towards her opponent, intending to knock her down onto the floor. But as she swung around in another roundhouse kick, Carbide lashed out at the same time with her bar spinner. Arcee howled in agony as the destructive weapon ripped her entire foot off. It had been quick and effortless as if she was made of paper and not metal. Arcee collapsed, groaning with anguish as she clutched the stump where her foot had once been. Laughing with glee, Carbide sliced Arcee across the shoulder, nearly ripping her entire arm off. The Autobot leader screamed again, making Carbide cackle all the more.

"Oooooh how I LOVE the sound of your screams!" the torture master crooned, "I wonder how much longer you'll be screaming for when I put you of your misery!"

She raised her arm and lunged forward, the bar-spinner aimed at Arcee's head. She missed her target by millimeters as the fem-bot rolled to one side to dodge her attack. She picked herself up and plunged one of her katanas into Carbide's shoulder once again. This time, Arcee kept the sword in and held on tight. The furious Decepticon began to writhe around, trying to shake Arcee off. She swung her bar spinner towards the Autobot leader but Arcee caught her wrist and held her arm away, just feeling the air brush over her fingers as the weapon continued to spin. The two females struggled with each other, both pushing down and holding on to keep one another from attacking. Shockwave could see that his comrade needed help and took aim, hoping to hit Arcee. Unfortunately for him, that was what Arcee had expected him to do. Smirking, she quickly let go of Carbide and fell to the floor literally a millisecond after Shockwave fired his cannon. The plasma blast hit Carbide squarely in the shoulder, blowing her entire arm off. The interrogator howled. She clutched her empty arm-socket, screaming in anguish. This was the most pain she had felt in a long, LONG time. Shockwave didn't seem that concerned for her. He ignored the screaming Carbide and took aim at Arcee again.

The Autobot leader leapt to one side, avoiding another blast and watching a section of the floor was kicked up upon impact. She picked up the floor panel and threw it at the Decepticon like a frisbee. Shockwave was expecting the move and simply reached up with his one hand and caught the panel. He then proceeded to throw it back at Arcee. Unfortunately for her, Shockwave was stronger and thus, could throw harder than she could, meaning she had less time to dodge than her opponent would have. The panel hit Arcee, denting her head and knocking her down onto her back. Arcee winced and clutched her head where she had been stricken. Shockwave strolled up to her, not even in a hurry to finish her off. He seemed cool and collected, as if this was a walk in the park for him than an actual fight. He picked Arcee up by the leg and hauled her up off the floor as if she was a feather. He then swung her down, slamming her hard into the floor. Arcee cried out and then Shockwave threw her across the corridor, sending her crashing and spinning off the floor several times before coming to a stop just by the door she had come through. The Autobot grunted, straining as she tried to pick herself up. Her pistons pumped but she couldn't find the strength to stand. She had suffered too much damage.

Her optics widened as her worst nightmare approached, his footsteps like thunder. Shockwave advanced on his target, his singular optic bearing into her. Arcee just glared back at him, showing defiance. Not even close to death would she show fear to this evil Cybertronian!

"An admirable effort. But you are no Optimus Prime." Shockwave muttered, "If you hadn't destroyed my work, I would've happily kept you as a test subject to use my plague on. As is...the most logical course of action would be to finish you off now."

He aimed his arm cannon, preparing to fire the final shot that would kill Arcee and end her career as Autobot leader. The Autobot had just one last hope that she could survive. If she could shoot him in the eye before he could execute her, she might just be able to leave alive. But luckily for her, the cavalry had arrived. Shockwave found himself thrown off his feet as a huge mace suddenly swung right into him, walloping him hard and sending him flying. The attacker was a huge, green robot who looked like he was wearing a military helmet and had a portly figure. For a Cybertronian, this type of figure radiated power and strength rather than a lack of fitness. He wasn't alone though. Another Autobot was with him. This one was silver in colour with red linings and seemed to have wheels in place of actual feet. He also had a pair of blades attached to his arms but also carried twin pistols if he needed them. Arcee grinned with pleasure, recognizing the two.

"Good timing Bulkhead and Sideswipe. Shockwave was about to bore me to death with his logic." she said dryly.

"Looked like he was gonna do worse than that leader." Sideswipe, the silver wheel-footed bot, sneered.

"Everybody's out there shooting at this base!" Bulkhead, the bulky bot with the mace, informed, "Just as you planned Arcee, we've grabbed enough of the Decepticon's attention so we could sneak in and get you out!"

"And lucky too." Sideswipe muttered, glancing over at the one-armed Carbide as she still lay on the floor in pain.

"I've got the intel I need. Let's get back to base before we lose anyone else." Arcee ordered.

"What about Beachcomber?" Bulkhead asked.

"He's dead. Carbide got him." Arcee said grimly, "Let's not have his death be in vain by joining him."

Sideswipe and Bulkhead understood. It was better to lose one comrade than several. Beachcomber's death was unfortunate, but they could at least honour his passing by escaping with their lives. Bulkhead picked Arcee up and carried her off with Sideswipe whipping out his pistols and shooting at Carbide and Shockwave to make sure none of them tried to follow. Carbide stayed down so she wouldn't get hit while Shockwave shot back, forcing the wheel-footed bot to use evasive tactics to avoid being hit. Once he was sure that Bulkhead and Arcee were far enough away, he turned and sped off after them, his wheel feet allowing him to move quicker than any Cybertronian could possibly move. Shockwave began to run after him, moving surprisingly fast for a Con his size. He continued to shoot at Sideswipe, determined not to let any Autobot escape alive. He watched with annoyance as the speedy Autobot disappeared down the grate that he and Bulkhead had broken into the base through. He peered down into the sewage tunnels, now understanding how Arcee had gotten into this place earlier. He would make sure no Autobot would get in this way again. For now, making sure Arcee didn't escape with his secrets to spill was his top priority. He activated his comlink.

"Soundwave. We have escaping Autobots. Their leader, Arcee, has found out about the cybonic plague we're creating. She must not be allowed to get away. Kill her before the Autobots bridge back to base."

* * *

Outside, the Decepticon base was bombarded by yet another volley of missiles. The Autobots weren't as heavily armed as their Decepticon enemies, but they could still pack a punch if needed. And it was precisely this kind of ambush as to why Arcee had set up the Autobots with the most powerful weapons to shoot at it. They wouldn't quite bring the base down, but it would still give the Decepticons something to worry about instead of them for a while. This squadron consisted of Autobots named Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Warpath, Wheeljack, Jetfire and a flying team of Autobots known as the Aerialbots. They were all carrying missile launchers or firing torpedoes at the base, weapons definitely guaranteed to cause a lot of damage. The Decepticons had reacted immediately, shooting back at the Autobots ambushing their territory but the team had taken up strategic positions and were using a lot of hiding places so the Cons had a hard time even pinpointing where anybody was. The Aerialbots and Jetfire were also in vehicle mode and flying around constantly, never staying still long enough for them to be shot at. They fired missiles at the ground, forcing the Decepticons below to dive for cover and thus, lowering the amount of weapons trained on the ground troops. To try and counter attack, the Decepticons launched an air strike of their own to try and keep the flying Autobots busy. As of now, the sky was full of flying machines and firing missiles as the Decepticon Seeker team fought against Jetfire and the Aerialbots.

Ironhide could see this from down below and aimed his missile launcher at one of the Seekers. He fired, the missile screaming out of its socket and homing in on its prey. It was not an ordinary missile, but a heatseeker. The targeted Seeker would have to fly smart and fast to avoid being hit. The Seeker realized there was a heatseeker missile approaching and quickly banked to one side, abandoning his target. The missile followed as if attracted to the flying Decepticon. Ironhide smirked, pleased to see how well this missile was working. He watched as the Seeker failed to outrun the missile and was blown apart as it caught up to him. It hadn't been anybody important, but it still lowered the opposition at least.

"How lucky for us these heatseekers work like a charm!" he barked, speaking in a heavy, Southern accent.

"It's fortuitous for us that I finally managed to create an invention that works." the one known as Wheeljack said, sounding pleased with himself.

"My missile launchers plus your heatseekers make for one hell of a Con-wrecking crew Jacky!" Ironhide cried enthusiastically, firing another missile.

"I just hope Bulkhead and Sideswipe have managed to rescue our leader." Wheeljack said grimly.

Just as he said that, the Autobot known as Warpath turned his head and pointed excitedly.

"Hey look, look! Here they come!" he hollered, "They're coming right to us!"

Ironhide and Wheeljack turned to see where Warpath was looking and both their faces lit up to see that indeed, Arcee, Bulkhead and Sideswipe were zooming towards them. All three were in vehicle mode. Sideswipe's car mode was of Cybertronian design with smooth curves, sleek lines and a flat appearance, making him look fast and sporty. Bulkhead's alternate form was a Cybertronian vehicle resembling a 4X4 vehicle. Both Bots had wheels but they were folded down so they could hover. The surface around them wasn't smooth enough for them to use their wheels. All three were coming in fast, keen to flee as quickly as possible. The leader of the squadron, the mighty Ultra Magnus, saw the approaching Autobots and turned to Ironhide.

"They have retrieved our leader. Once they reach us, we'll fall back and bridge back to base." he said, his tone formal and brisk, "No need to hang around any longer than we have to."

"Aw, don't we? I'm having fun here!" Warpath cried, "KAPOW!" he bellowed as he fired his trademark chest cannon at another Decepticon that was shooting back at him.

"You'll follow my orders without protest soldier!" Ultra Magnus barked irritably.

"Whatever old timer, but I better be on the front-lines for the next fight we have!" Warpath retorted, firing his cannon again with a shout of "BLAM!" It was something he did a lot of for some reason, shouting words like "Kapow" or "Blam" when fighting.

The elderly Autobot didn't even bother to reply. Arguing with Warpath could be like trying to stop a grenade from exploding at times. His optics widened as he saw something soaring towards them. He quickly gestured for the others to get down as a volley of laser fire began kicking up the dirt around them. There was a Decepticon coming towards them and this one was in vehicle mode. It looked like a spy drone, but this one somehow managed to look more sinister than the real thing. The Autobots felt their sparks sink in despair for they recognized this Decepticon. They watched as it banked to the left and flew towards Arcee, Bulkhead and Sideswipe. It began to fire at them, forcing the three Bots to separate. The moment Arcee turned away, the Decepticon turned in her direction and dive-bombed towards her. Arcee cursed and turned quickly to try and shake off the approaching Con. But the flying machine was a manoeuvrable one and wasn't shaken off so easy. It then fired another shot, hitting the ground just behind Arcee and sending her hurling into the air. She hit the ground, transforming back to robot mode, and grunted from the impact. The Decepticon transformed and landed behind her.

Arcee turned to see one of the scariest Decepticons ever standing before her. This one was slender, but in a way that made it look sharp and like it could cut you open just by looking at it. It had no face, just a visor with no features whatsoever. Much like The Fallen, its face resembled a Decepticon logo in some way, carrying the same four points on its head as the symbol itself. It also had a chest plate that looked removable. Arcee growled angrily, aiming her arm cannon at the Decepticon.

"Soundwave." she said coldly, "Trust Shockwave to send you after me. I'm giving you one chance to just walk away and spare yourself any damage."

Soundwave didn't seem to be willing to comply with the offer. He instead lashed forward and back-handed Arcee across the face. Soundwave moved at surprising speed, being still one minute and a blur the next. He had stricken Arcee so hard and so fast that she barely had time to register what had even happened. Sideswipe charged in angrily, both blades deployed and ready to slice up the Decepticon. That was a mistake. Soundwave saw him coming and deployed a tentacle from his chest. The long reaching tendril reached out and grabbed hold of the speedy Autobot, stopping him dead in his tracks and lifting him off the ground. Sideswipe cried out in surprise and yelled as he was swung down straight on top of a fast approaching Bulkhead. Both Autobots lay sprawled on the ground, groaning. The attack had hurt Sideswipe more than Bulkhead though given how solid the Autobot was. The heavyweight Cybertronian climbed back to his feet and deployed his mace hands, eager to smash Soundwave into the ground. He lumbered forward, making the ground shudder with every footstep he took. Soundwave didn't even look intimidated by his opponent. He just lashed out with his tentacle again and planted it squarely in the centre of Bulkhead's chest. The Autobot didn't even have time to register what had happened as he was brutally electrocuted into unconsciousness by the Decepticon spy.

Arcee managed to pick herself up and pounced on Soundwave, katanas in hand in aimed for a stab in the back. She had timed her attack well and Soundwave didn't seem aware that he had an opponent heading his way. Arcee touched down, plunging the katanas straight into...empty ground. Arcee was so shocked at the impossibility of the fact that she had missed that she didn't even have the time to dodge as Soundwave karate-chopped her in the face. The Decepticon spy was far more alert than anybody could possibly estimate and had heard Arcee approaching, even if she hadn't made much of a sound. Arcee sprawled on the ground, wincing in pain. Soundwave advanced on her, one of his hands forming into a blade. The Autobot leader turned to see her opponent poising himself, ready for a stab. Reacting quickly, she deployed her arm cannons and began blasting Soundwave in the torso. The shots didn't seem to faze the Decepticon, though they made him back away a little. Sideswipe then zoomed up behind the communications expert and sliced him across the back with one of his swords. Soundwave visibly flinched, though it seemed more a reaction to the attack than actual pain. He spun around in anger and clashed blades with Sideswipe. Sparks flew from every blow exchanged and both opponents swung their weapons at blinding speeds. To Arcee, who watched, it was like watching blurs move between the opponents with how fast they moved.

She ran over to her katanas, which were still stuck in the ground, and tugged on them so she could pull them free. Sideswipe continued to parry with Soundwave, blocking one blow with his own sword and thrusting with the other. He just managed to lightly scrape Soundwave's side as he weaved to one side. The communications expert then unleashed one of his party tricks. His chest plate suddenly detached itself from his body and struck Sideswipe, knocking him down onto his back. The chest plate unfolded, now resembling some kind of robotic bird, and began to fly around the battlefield. The chest plate was in fact, Soundwave's Mini-Con partner named Laserbeak. Laserbeak was just as much of a danger as his master was and he showed why that was as he began shooting at Sideswipe. He blocked each shot by swiping his swords but there was one shot fired that he wasn't quite fast enough to block and he cried out as he was hit in the leg. He dropped down on one knee, clutching his leg as Soundwave advanced on his opponent. He only said four words as he prepared to finish off the Autobot speedster:

"Soundwave: Superior. Autobots: Inferior."

He grabbed hold of Sideswipe's shoulder and prepared to shove his blade through the Autobot's spark. He didn't get the chance to finish him off for Arcee suddenly sprang on him from behind and plunged both katanas into his back. Soundwave flinched, but made no sound, as he was penetrated. Arcee yanked both katanas out of his back, leaving Soundwave to grimace in pain as she helped Sideswipe up on his feet.

"Come on, let's go before we get scrapped!" she ordered.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Sideswipe agreed.

Arcee turned to the other Autobots and yelled as loudly as she could.

"AUTOBOTS! RETREAT!"

The command was heard and the firing squadron stopped shooting and began to fall back, transforming into vehicle mode so they could flee faster. Jetfire could see that the team was leaving and ordered the Aerialbots to follow suit. The Decepticons continued to shoot at them and some even began to chase after them, hoping to snuff another spark before they could leave. But the Autobots were all going to escape with their lives this time as a portal of green and blue opened up ahead and the Autobots filed in through it, both ground and air. Arcee had called ahead for a GroundBridge so they could escape. Once the last Autobot had entered the portal, the GroundBridge closed, leaving the Decepticons with nothing to do but contemplate their failure in capturing or killing any Autobots. Soundwave in particular looked very annoyed to have failed his objective. How would he explain this to Shockwave...?

* * *

"The Autobots escaped, their leader included. That is...most troubling."

Shockwave had been debriefed on the whole fight with Soundwave playing back what had happened on his visor. The Decepticon spy had a habit of recording visions and sounds, acting like a living recorder machine more than a Cybertronian at times. He often preferred to communicate this way instead of actually speaking. Shockwave had taken in everything Soundwave had told him and hadn't liked it one bit. The only thing scarier than Shockwave being displeased was how he would under-react and act so eerily calm about what's happening. It made him unpredictable and his Decepticon cohorts were never fully sure what he would do next. Soundwave showed no signs of fear.

"Arcee was in my lab when I was talking about the plague. She will no doubt pass on that information and the Autobots can work on foiling my plans." the Decepticon leader murmured, "Plus she destroyed the batch I was working on, thus delaying my work. This is most distressing. The Decepticons have been hit hard this day."

"You seem awfully calm about this Shockwave! You're acting like it's no big, slagging deal!"

Shockwave wheeled around to face the bedbound Carbide, who was lying on a medical bench and being treated for her injuries and severed arm. Shockwave had retrieved the arm so he could reattach it. She was very cranky, sore over being bested by a potential victim she could have fun with and wasn't understanding why Shockwave seemed so complacent. She understood he wasn't very emotional, but surely he'd be a big angrier over this blow to the Decepticon cause?! The scientist walked up to his patient, his posture casual.

"That is because it is not, as you said, a "big, slagging deal"." he purred, "Just because the cybonic plague is going to be delayed, it doesn't mean the Autobots have won. The plague will still be a success. We just have to unleash it when they least expect it."

"So instead of using it like we planned, we wait a while and make the Autobots think we're not gonna use it and thus, catch them unawares?" Carbide thought aloud, "Ha, ha, ha...no wonder you're the replacement leader for Megatron. You were always a smart bot."

"You say "smart". I say "logical"." Shockwave said nonchalantly, "My plans and calculations always derive from the most logical course of action. And in this case, it's delaying tactics that are said logical course of action."

"I just hope I get to frag that bitch, Arcee!" Carbide snarled, clenching her one remaining hand, "I am going to make her suffer more than any Bot I've scrapped for humiliating me like this!"

"Do not worry, if we ever capture the Autobot leader again, you will be the first to have your way with her." Shockwave promised, "For now, we'll have to triple security and make sure no Autobot gets in this facility again. And in case they do, I'll make sure they never find a way to tamper with the formula for the cybonic plague."

"Got any ideas how?"

Affirmative. I'll have all data about the formula erased and its cure erased from our records. Only my brain will contain the formulas. And next time I make it, I'll concoct it in a more secluded area, one where I'll be unlikely to be found."

Carbide nodded. Those seemed like good ideas. How can the Autobots fight against a virus they can't find the info for? And if Shockwave couldn't be found then nobody could interfere with his work. The virus was going to work even with this setback! The Decepticons were far from defeated!

"Then we have nothing to fear master." she purred softly.

"Affirmative. Soundwave, see to it that all data about the cybonic plague is erased from all Decepticon databanks." the scientist ordered.

Soundwave nodded and began doing just that. He strolled over to one of the computers in the lab, started it up and began immediately working on erasing the data. The job would take a while and he'd be doing a lot of work but Soundwave wouldn't stop until his task was completed. He was a Con who did everything to the letter, no matter how taxing. As he worked, Shockwave strode over to Carbide's right side so he could work on reattaching her arm. He picked up a welding tool as a hydraulic arm holding Carbide's arm positioned it in the correct place so it could be fixed back on.

"Do you wish to be sedated while I operate?" the purple Con asked.

"Fie! I refuse to show weakness to anyone!" Carbide retorted, "I'll happily remain conscious while you reattach my arm."

"How silly of me to ask. You're not one to be afraid of pain, as I should know by now." Shockwave sighed, wondering why he has bothered asking.

He activated the tool, a small tongue of blue flame extending out of the pipe as he prepared to weld the arm back in its right place...

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Autobot base, Arcee was getting some medical treatment of her own. Once the Autobot team had warped back to their base in the city of Iacon, any Autobots in need of medical treatment had been whisked to the medical bay as fast as possible. Thankfully, there weren't many Autobots needing repairs this time around. Aside from a slashed shoulder, some scratches, dents and a missing foot from Arcee, most of the Autobots didn't have anything serious to attend to. Bulkhead had been brought back out of unconsciousness with a quick dose of Energon to revive him and Sideswipe's leg wasn't seriously damaged. As usual, it was Arcee with the most amount of injuries that needed seeing to. She found herself in the medical bay so often that the doctors had jokingly said they should name it after her. The "Arcee Medical Centre" perhaps.

The doctor seeing to Arcee was the best medic an Autobot could ask for. There was no injury he couldn't patch up, no damage he couldn't fix and no part he couldn't replace. He was known as Ratchet. Ratchet looked surprisingly powerful for a mere medic thanks to a rather bulky body and large arms. He looked more like a warrior than a doctor and yet was more likely to be seen here than on the battlefield. He was also easily recognized thanks to his trademark white and orange colours. He was also known to be cranky, but there was no sign of it here as he tended to Arcee's injuries. He was just politely interested in what had been going on.

"So what got you all banged up this time?" he asked, his comment a slight snide at how frequently Arcee ended up here.

"Carbide." Arcee spat venomously as if the very name was poison to her.

"Say no more..." Ratchet muttered as he picked up a new foot to attach to the fem-bot, "You're lucky that a missing foot is the extent of your injuries. That monster usually does much worse."

"She did do much worse." Arcee said grimly, "She snuffed Beachcomber. Said she tossed him in her chamber and let a bunch of Scraplets eat him alive. At least his intel proved useful to us so his death wasn't wasteful."

Ratchet shook his head sadly. Too many Autobots had fallen to the Decepticons in this war. How could be go on knowing that more would end up in the morgue as this senseless conflict went on?! He knelt down before Arcee to test if the replacement foot, which looked identical to her one remaining foot, would fit.

"At least. You managed to find the way into the base he found. Did you pick up anything we need to know about?" the medic asked curiously.

"Most definitely. I've told Ultra Magnus to pass it onto our troops." Arcee explained, "Shockwave's planning to create a plague. I know it sounds ludicrous since we're not biological beings but if he's creating a plague, it means it'll effect us. I destroyed a batch he was working on so hopefully, it'll delay him until we can find out more about this plague."

"The Decepticons are now working on biological warfare?!" Ratchet exclaimed incredulously, "By the AllSpark, just when we think they can't sink any lower! Is there ANYTHING they won't resort to in this war?!"

"We're talking about **Decepticons** Ratchet. There IS no low they'll sink to." Arcee retorted.

"True. Very true..." Ratchet agreed, "I shouldn't even be surprised at this point. So once you're all fixed up, we'll have to find a way to combat this plague, or even stop Shockwave from making it at all. If we could just..."

He was interrupted by the sound of clattering metal. The sound came so suddenly that both patient and medic looked up in alarm. There was a nurse who had just picked up a tool and had accidentally knocked over some other tools onto the floor. One of them, a frame-welding tool, had managed to break. She looked very ashamed of herself for doing so. Ratchet knew that this nurse meant well and that it was an accident but he couldn't keep himself from losing his temper. He exploded before he even thought about what he was going to say.

"Red Alert, I needed that!" he complained angrily.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so, SO sorry Ratchet!" the nurse, Red Alert, exclaimed frantically, "I didn't mean to do that! I-I-I-I'll fix that f-f-frame welder for you!"

"Very well, just PLEASE be careful in future Red!" Ratchet ranted, "I can't afford to have broken tools in this medical bay!"

"Yes Ratchet, of course Ratchet, sorry Ratchet!" Red Alert piped.

She began to scoop up the dropped tools and put them back onto the table. Once that was done, she gathered up the pieces to the broken frame-welder to put it back together. Ratchet sighed sympathetically, turning back to Arcee.

"I hope my mentoring of the nurse will make her less of a klutz in the medical bay." he said, "Red Alert has potential to be a great medic, and I encourage that in her. But sometimes she can be a bit...careless."

"Go easy on her, she means well." Arcee said softly, "She just wants to be like you."

"I know..."

Ratchet didn't have much else to say. He was beginning to feel guilty for yelling at his protegee. He would make it up to her later though, he had work to do. He positioned the new foot for Arcee and prepared to weld it back on.

"I hope this doesn't hurt too much." he said.

He activated his tool and began pressing the flame between Arcee's ankle and the new foot, sealing the gap shut between them. Arcee didn't seem to be in pain. She just lay there, taking it as the foot was reattached. Another case of needing a new body part. How many times had she needed new limbs and pieces now? She'd lost count. Arcee began to think back to the past. Not just any past though, but the far past. Back when this whole war had began. It had been a decade, maybe two decades, since the fight had begun. And a decade on Cybertron was much longer than a decade on Earth given a year on Cybertron was longer than 365 days. In Earth years, this war had been going on for almost five decades now. How long it had felt since it had began! And to think it had all started when a lowly gladiator had decided he wanted to have the power of the Primes.

Arcee closed her eyes for a moment, thinking back to the beginning. The beginning of the Cybertron Wars...

* * *

 _ **Now that's what I call an opening! :D So we have the Autobots and Decepticons at war with each other. But how did it all begin? There are different reasons per continuity but how did it begin in THIS universe?**_

 _ **The war's been set up, and now next time we will get a ten-part miniseries detailing how this war started, how the characters got where they are now and why Arcee and Shockwave are the leaders of their factions instead of Optimus and Megatron. Next time, we get the "Eve of War"...**_

* * *

 _ **Oh and if anybody out there is going to be annoying and post a review saying "Great chapter. Update Batman I Am The Night please", then don't. Every time I upload a new chapter to a story outside of that fanfic, I keep getting this annoying spammer posting the same comment over and over again. Posting that comment is NOT going to make me update Batman I Am The Night, it's just going to piss me off and make me NOT want to update it instead. I'm also going to keep deleting that comment too so why waste your time posting it? Not to mention it's annoying getting the same damn comment over and over again so whoever you are, PLEASE STOP SPAMMING ME WITH THAT COMMENT! I'm sick and tired of getting it over and over and all that will do is make me NOT want to post any content with the thought that I'll receive that annoying as fuck comment! Spamming. Does. Not. Make. You. Look. Clever. Or. Funny! It's just really fucking annoying! So whoever you are spamming me with that comment, KNOCK IT OFF OK?! If you keep spamming me with it, I'm going to stop uploading new chapters because I don't want to keep getting that comment and that'll upset me and all my readers. So please stop it! X(**_


	2. Eve of War Part 1

_Eve of War Part 1: The Librarian and the Gladiator_

The gladiatorial pits of Kaon were always rife with activity. There was barely a time where nothing was happening in them. You'd get only the briefest of quiet moments as the next match was prepared and then shortly after, the pits would be filled again with the clashing of swords, the throwing of punches and the cheers of the crowds. There was a match happening now at this very moment, and this one was attracting a large audience with loud screams of exhilaration all around.

It was the semi-finals of the gladiatorial championships and the winner of this match would progress to the final. There was already one warrior that had qualified and the winner of this would challenge that warrior for the championship crown. The crowd erupted into tumultuous applause as the combatants exchanged blows with each other. The sound of metal fists on metal bodies was enough for the crowd to not only hear the blows, but feel them two. And the fact these combatants were enormous, even for Cybertronians, made the blows even heavier and more powerful to witness. One of the combatants was a bulky, solid looking machine with a mostly blue colour scheme, a silver head and a red face with yellow eyes. His shoulders were spiked and his arms were so huge that he looked as if he could snap solid metal poles in two with his bare hands. His name was Breakdown. He had started off as an underdog, new to the tournament and never seen before. He had progressed almost flawlessly, smashing opponents left and right with barely any effort. His final opponent was the first time he had found himself up against somebody equal to him.

Said opponent was head and shoulders above Breakdown in height and looked even more fearsome than the rookie did. He had five prongs in certain areas of his head that made him look as if he was wearing a crown, a symbol of his status as a reigning champion. His shoulders were spiked, though his pointed outwards rather than inwards, and his colours were mostly grey with purple linings in places. He had a huge cannon, which he dubbed his "Fusion Cannon" on his right arm and underneath said cannon, a sword was extended out and he was now using this to fight. He had blue eyes that somehow failed to make him look any less fierce despite the peaceful association of the colour. He was originally named "Megatronus", naming himself after one of the 13 Primes that ran Cybertron. But to avoid confusion with Megatronus Prime, he had decided to shorten his name. So now, to the audience and his opponents, he was known simply as Megatron.

Megatron was the reigning gladiator champion of Kaon, winning the previous two tournaments with ease and having opponents that barely held a candle to him. Not even his last opponents, the twins Dreadwing and Skyquake, had been able to defeat him and they had both teamed up to take him down. Nobody knew why Megatron had chosen to be a gladiator or why he participated in these fights. Only he knew the reason. He was hoping to get noticed and took part in these tournaments to gain popularity. He hoped that he would be noticed by the Primes and maybe made a part of them. And now with a third championship win close within his grasp, he was bound to get some attention.

Sparks leapt into the air as Megatron backhanded Breakdown across the face. It was like being hit by a solid metal wall to the bulky machine and he grunted as he fell down onto his back. The crowd went wild, they had enjoyed watching that blow. Megatron charged towards Breakdown, raising his sword and preparing to slice him up. It was against the rules to kill anybody in these matches but Megatron could get away with at least chopping off a limb or two. Breakdown picked himself up and aimed a shoulder-mounted missile launcher he was equipped with at his opponent. He fired, hitting Megatron squarely in the abdomen and throwing him across the arena. The audience gasped, surprised that the champion had taken such a heavy hit. But they soon let out a chorus of surprised gasps as the champion stood up, looking as if the shot had barely hurt him. He even smirked as if the missile had tickled him.

"A valiant effort Breakdown. But it'll take more to bring down the mighty Champion of Kaon!" Megatron roared, arrogance flaring in every word he said.

He took aim with his Fusion Cannon and fired a single shot. The huge plasma blast punched Breakdown squarely in the chest, almost knocking him out and slamming him into the wall. He hit the wall so hard that it cracked. Anybody sitting close to that particular wall had been tempted to leave their seats in fear of being hit. Breakdown pulled himself free from the wall and roared with anger. He couldn't lose, not while he was so close to the final! He lowered his upper body and began pounding towards Breakdown like a wildebeest in a stampede. The floor shook with every thundering step he took. He threw a punch at Megatron, nearly hitting him, but the champion had weaved out of the way and landed a powerful punch in the centre of Breakdown's back. He had been hit so hard he thought his lateral-flexor had snapped. Growling savagely, the blue gladiator swung around with a roundhouse punch to the face on Megatron, the sharp rivets on his knuckles leaving scratches and chipping bits of his face with the impact. Megatron retaliated with a roundhouse punch of his own, nearly tearing Breakdown's head off. Breakdown swung his keen up into Megatron's abdomen, his sharp kneepad nearly penetrating his armour. It was the most painful blow he'd managed to land on his opponent for the entire match. Megatron didn't seem too fazed and responded by grabbing Breakdown by the head with both hands. He wrestled with his opponent and then suddenly, began to pull him to one side and swing him around! Breakdown screamed as he was taken off his feet and the world become a whirl of colours and blurs just ahead of him as he was spun around.

Megatron spun around for a whole ten seconds before finally releasing Breakdown. The heavyweight Cybertronian rocketed into the air like a robotic cannonball. The crowd broke into fits of applause and laughter as they watched him hurl into the air. He came down like a meteor, hitting the ground so hard that parts of his armour cracked and tiny pieces chipped off. He rolled to a stop, a tangle of limbs as he lay by the wall. He groaned a sickly, defeated groan as he lay, unable to stand. He had sustained too much damage to continue anymore. He tried to stand up, still refusing to be defeated so easily. He instead ceded to his injuries, remaining where he was. The match was over. Megatron had emerged victorious once again! The gladiatorial champion threw his arms up in triumph, drinking in the applause that exploded around him. Everybody was ecstatic, overjoyed to see their beloved champion victorious once more. They had paid to see a good fight, and they had got their money's worth. They would be keen to see the final tomorrow with Megatron now one step-away from a third championship win. Would he make it third-time-lucky? Would he be defeated? Tomorrow would tell, and the crowd couldn't wait. Megatron clearly shared their excitement for he announced:

"Let this be a message to all who challenge me! You step into the arena at your own peril. All you will receive from a fight with me are mangled gears, crushed pistons and missing limbs! I am the Gladiator Supreme! I am Kaon's Undefeated Champion! I. AM. MEGATRON!"

The tumultuous applause that followed went on for several minutes, feeling like a whole eternity to the victorious gladiator...

* * *

"I presume you come to the Hall of Records with news of another win Megatron?"

"Absolutely old friend. I just sent my latest opponent, Breakdown, out of the arena as a pile of scrap, just like my other opponents! I am now in the finals for a third championship running! I can almost taste that third championship victory now!"

"Who will be facing you in the final?"

"One of the rookies, and a surprising one too. She progressed much further than anyone could have anticipated. I believe her name is "Arcee". Not that names matter in the Pits of Kaon."

The librarian Megatron was talking to nodded understandingly. He would never be caught dead in a gladiator arena, but he knew well enough how the rules worked in there and how savage the Pits of Kaon could get. After all, he had read files about these championships in this very library. Cybertron's history, data and files were all stored here in this place known as the Hall of Records. If anybody wanted information, something to read or a tranquil sanctuary to retreat to, the Hall of Records was the place to be. It was very popular with the citizens of Iacon for they appreciated the quiet atmosphere and historians loved to study their favourite subjects when they visited. Megatron was a friend of one of the librarians working here. Later in life, he would be known by a different name and a different rank. For now, he was known as Orion Pax. It seemed an unlikely friendship, the savage gladiator and the quiet librarian. But the two didn't mind each other's company and they certainly didn't care what anybody thought of them. It just showed that anybody can have a friend, no matter who you are.

Orion Pax was red and blue, the colours standing out from Megatron's grey and purple colours. His head design made him look as if he wore a blue helmet with silver antennae on either side. His appearance made him look sturdy and strong, looking more like somebody who should be in the army than in the library, But despite this, Orion Pax was known to be unbelievably friendly and welcoming. His smooth, gentle voice resonated with wisdom and kindness every time he spoke. It was why he found it easy to make friends, because he himself was easy to make friends with. He and Megatron had first met when the gladiator had wanted to research on Kaon's history and the two had become close friends. They even considered themselves "brothers".

"I'll have to update the entry log for this year's Gladiatorial Championships with today's results." Orion acknowledged, pulling out a file on a shelf so he could make the edits, "You and Arcee will fight in the finals tomorrow and we'll see if you win for a third time or if Kaon has a new champion."

"I've watched the female fight and despite her diminutive size, she has a ferocity quite unlike what one would expect from a hover-cycle." Megatron murmured, "She'll be an interesting opponent."

"I wish you luck as usual my friend." Orion said supportively, walking over to a computer so he could plug the file in and access the data, "Though I would recommend not being so...brutal in your takedowns. You're not in a battle to the death Megatron."

"A battle to the death, it may not be, but I like to rile up the audience with a show of spectacle." Megatron said, "The crowd comes to watch Energon being spilled and armour to be dented! I understand your distaste in violence Orion, I really do. But do understand that in the Pits of Kaon, these people don't want mercy. They want Energon! And I must make them a show to remember so that they appreciate what they've come to witness."

The librarian nodded grimly. He didn't see the need for these horrible championships to take place but it wasn't his place to protest. He wasn't in a position of power and his status as a citizen of Iacon made him unable to dabble in Kaon affairs. The two cities had different policies and neither one was allowed to interfere. It was a way of keeping the peace on Cybertron, something even the 13 Primes knew well. Orion still hoped that sometime soon, Megatron might consider a more peaceful career, one that doesn't involve breaking as many exoskeletons as possible. He remained silent for a moment as he tapped away on the keyboard, updating the Kaon Gladiator Championships file with today's results. Anybody studying on these championships now would have some new information to process.

"How has your training with Sentinel Prime been going?" Megatron asked curiously.

Orion was rather surprised to hear Megatron ask about that. He didn't usually pry on his personal life too much. He didn't see any harm in answering.

"My mentor has been teaching me new skills that I may one day use for the good of the people." the Iacon resident answered, "He is most pleased with how I have been progressing. He believes I may even be on the levels of a Prime one day."

"Maybe you should sign up for the next Kaon Championship and prove your mettle in the arena Orion." the Kaon gladiator suggested.

"My place is here, not within the Gladiator Pits Megatron. That and I wouldn't want to have to fight you. I...couldn't bring myself to throw a punch at you." Orion said sullenly. He hoped his answer wouldn't upset his close friend.

"At the very least, I would hope that we may fight alongside each other one day. You and me, fighting together to keep the peace on Cybertron. Isn't that an image worth bringing to life Orion?" Megatron replied, an evident tone of wonder and excitement in his voice.

"It would be the most honourable moment of my life." Orion agreed, liking the idea of he and his friend fighting against any threats to their people. How proud Sentinel would be to watch his student fight for peace and prosperity with the Gladiator Champion.

"With my unrivaled strength and my current status as a fighting champion beloved by many, do you still think that there might be a chance that I could become a Prime?" Megatron asked.

Orion considered for a moment. Megatron did indeed have the strength and battle prowess to make a great Prime. There was no debate to be had about that. But would the Primes accept him on mere fighting strength and championship status? He had a feeling in his spark that told him he wouldn't. Sentinel had taught him much about the Primes and Orion had come to learn there was more about being a Prime than just being strong and powerful. Megatron lacked a lot of qualities the Primes had such as diplomatic skills, a sense of honour, nobility and wisdom. He knew Megatron wasn't a terrible person and he did have his good points. He still remembered hearing how he'd befriended a communications expert named Soundwave after he'd been treated like a freak by the others, proving he did have a sense of empathy. He also never tried to kill his opponents in the arena, thus meaning he had enough restraint to follow the rules and showing he lacked a killer instinct. And Megatron was far from stupid too. But military strength and intelligence could only get you so far, and the Kaon citizen seemed more in it for the glory and power of being a Prime than for the actual reason the Primes banded together...a desire to keep world peace. He doubted Megatron would ever be worthy, but he chose his next words carefully so as not to offend or upset him.

"I'm sure if you continue proving your worth while also learning a little more about the political nature of our world, you will be more than worthy." he said, hoping that would be satisfying enough.

"I welcome your support and honesty Orion." Megatron said, sounding genuinely satisfied with what he'd heard, "Hopefully one day, I shall stand by the 13 Primes and even get to fight alongside my idol; the great Megatronus Prime! His favour is the one I hope to gain the most out of the 13."

"I know you may not like what I'm about to say, but do you think Megatronus is a good example to follow?" the Iacon resident asked, concern in his voice, "I do not condemn him in anyway, but I do not feel he's one to idolize Megatron. He always gives me an...uncomfortable feeling. His status as the Warrior of Darkness doesn't ease the tensions either. Sentinel tells me that he also seems rather headstrong and opinionated too. The council are apparently doubting if he should still be considered a Prime."

"Megatronus commands authority and power. His very presence demands respect. That is the kind of example I wish to follow. You're not going to consider me improper with that in mind are you?" Megatron asked, his voice soft but dangerous.

Orion recoiled, fearing he'd accidentally pushed the wrong button. Despite their friendship, he knew Megatron to be ill-tempered and that he could explode violently if riled. He thought carefully as he delivered his response.

"No my friend. I apologize, I was just...offering my opinions." he said meekly.

"No offence taken." Megatron said understandingly, "I assume you must be quit busy now so I'll leave you to your work. Will you join me and some friends of mine for a celebratory get-together at the Kaon Bar later?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I'll have to decline. I have another lesson with Sentinel tonight." Orion said politely.

"Suit yourself. I'll see you whenever I can." the gladiator said casually, "I do hope you'll be in the audience to watch the final tomorrow Orion. You wouldn't want to miss your friend claim another championship trophy would you?"

He turned and walked away, leaving Orion to continue his duties. The librarian watched him leave the building, transform into his alternate mode and fly away. In vehicle mode, Megatron was a Cybertronian jet with bladed wing tips, curved sections with some points reaching out behind the vehicle and fold out treads that he could deploy for ground assaults. His Fusion cannon sat on-top of the jet in this mode. In seconds, Megatron had disappeared, swallowed up by the clouds in the twilight sky. Orion detached the file from the computer he'd been working on and put it back on the shelf he'd gotten it from, the data updated for now. He'd be getting it out again to detail who tomorrow's winner of the tournament was. Of course, he would be there to see it. He made sure never to miss Megatron's championship battles when he reached the final. He'd been there when he'd claimed his first and second victories. He had a feeling history would be repeating itself once more.

He still couldn't shake off a bad feeling about his friend. He meant well and was clearly a decent Cybertronian at spark but was Megatronus really the right guy to be looking up to? Would he start rubbing off a bad influence onto Megatron? Would his friend be corrupted? He recalled one time where the great historian, Alpha Trion, had warned the Primes to watch out for Megatronus. He suspected more than any that he wasn't what he seemed. And yet his mentor, Sentinel, had said the Primes didn't seem concerned. Were they making a mistake? Hopefully it wouldn't be their own undoing.

Orion decided he'd talk with Sentinel about this again when he saw him tonight, see what was going on with the Primes now. He put the thought aside for now as he focused his attention back on his work.

* * *

The sound of swords clanging was loud in the room the two combatants occupied. But this wasn't two gladiators in the Pits of Kaon once more. This was a training room stationed in Prime Tower, the tallest building in Iacon and the home of the 13 Primes. Orion Pax came here after work every evening to train with his mentor, who was one of the 13. Sentinel Prime was second-in-command, making him the second most powerful Cybertronian in the world. Only Prima, the leader of the Primes, succeeded him. Sentinel was an ex member of the Elite Guards, his career ending the moment he became a Prime. He was benevolent and wise, two important traits for the Primes to carry, and Orion enjoyed being his student. He even saw the Prime as a sort-of father figure. Sentinel in turn seemed to see Orion Pax as the son he never had.

Sentinel's status as a prime was obvious enough without him needing to announce it. His very appearance radiated power and majesty. He was mostly red in colour with gold accents and trimmings all over his body, a bunch of wires around his chin that made him look as if he had a beard, intelligent blue optics and the physique of a powerful warrior. He had two long draping pieces of metal that made it look as if he had wings of some kind, though they more acted as a cape that added to his royal appearance.

Sentinel drew his sword, which was actually double-bladed, back and lunged at Orion. The librarian dodged, avoiding the sharp weapon and lashed out with his own weapon, which was only a single-bladed sword. Sentinel parried, deflecting the sword, and bumped his shield into Orion, making him stumble backwards. The red and blue Cybertronian recovered and swung his sword at his mentor, hitting the shield hard but not enough to disarm Sentinel. That was the challenge for tonight's lesson, to try and knock the shield out of his hand. Sentinel pointed his blade at Orion.

"Not good enough!" he barked, "Harder!"

"I am trying Sentinel." Orion said.

"We do not "try" in battle Orion. We DO. Now hit me again!" Sentinel ordered.

The librarian obliged and lashed out at his master again, his sword almost slicing his arm. Sentinel just managed to dodge and knocked Orion's arm aside with a swing of his own weapon. Angling his sword for an upwards slice, Sentinel swung it upwards, moving at surprising speeds. His old age didn't slow him down at all. Orion cried out as the tip of Sentinel's blade nicked his mouthplate. It left a scratch, but only a cosmetic one. It could be buffed over later. Sentinel then spun around, driving his elbow into Orion's abdomen and making him double over. He then slammed his shield down on his back just between his shoulder joints, throwing him onto the floor. Orion had been taught how to recover from such a move and showed his master this as he rolled aside, avoiding a stab from the Prime. He jumped up and roundhouse kicked his mentor, sending him reeling to one side and almost causing him to drop his weapons. Sentinel raised his shield as Orion charged at him again. He drew his sword back and once again, slammed it against Sentinel's shield. This time, he actually knocked it out of his hand. The shield hit the floor with a loud, heavy clang and Sentinel was at a moment, too surprised to say or do anything. He looked genuinely amazed his student had pulled it off. Orion then held his blade up to Sentinel's throat, making it clear he could cleave his head off in one quick move.

"Was that hard enough for you Sentinel?" Orion crowed, smirking behind his mouthplate.

"Well done Orion. But you haven't quite won yet..." Sentinel said grimly.

He then gestured with his optics for Orion to look down. He did so and saw that Sentinel had the tip of his own sword pressing against his abdomen plating. He could run the librarian through like sticking a hot knife through butter, thus meaning they were in a deadlock. Neither opponent could make a move without getting killed. Orion nodded.

"I still haven't grasped "surprise attacks" yet." he admitted, taking his weapon away from Sentinel.

"In battle Orion, you can never be prepared for everything." the ex-Elite Guard said softly, "You have to act fast and fight hard, thus meaning you don't always think about what you're going to do. Whenever you have the chance to finish an opponent, don't stall and don't think about how you'll do it. Just do it and the opponent won't have a chance to catch you off-guard."

"I will try to remember that Sentinel." Orion vowed, "Your teachings have been very insightful to me over the years."

"As I taught you my son, there is a lot more to combat than just throwing punches. It could almost be considered science in some way." Sentinel explained, "There's a lot of complicated formulas and calculations to be made to perfect the art of combat, just as it is when concocting a science experiment. If you stick to your teachings, you will become as great a warrior as all 13 of the Primes Orion."

The librarian nodded. He had wanted dearly to become the warrior his mentor was, hence why he always attended these lessons. And yet he felt like there might be more to this than met the eye.

"Why do you pass on your wisdom to me in particular Sentinel?" he inquired.

"You came to me with a request to be educated on combat. I complied to that request." Sentinel said, as if the answer was as simple as that.

"Yes, but you seem keen to make me as powerful as the Primes themselves master. Is there, a reason behind this motive?"

The old Cybertronian pondered the question for a moment. It had been a good question to ask and he wondered if Orion would ever ask it. Now it was time for him to answer the question he had wondered would ever get asked. He placed a hand on Orion's shoulder. Side-by-side, he was head-and-shoulders above Orion in terms of height.

"I'm glad you asked. You maybe honoured to hear this Orion." Sentinel began, "Orion Pax, I am not only teaching you to fulfil your request. I am teaching you because I see much potential in you. Potential that should be used, not ignored. I see a future for you Orion, one far greater than being a simple librarian."

"You do?"

"Oh yes. Much indeed. You've shown yourself to be very selfless, caring and possessing great wisdom of your own. They are some of the most important traits of being a Prime."

Orion was stunned to hear this. Sentinel wasn't implying what he thought he was implying...was he?

"You mean...you believe that I could be worthy of becoming...a Prime?" he said, speaking the words as if he didn't think he'd ever put them together like that.

"I wouldn't have accepted your request to be educated by myself personally if I hadn't thought you had potential." Sentinel said, his voice warm and kind, "I've seen much in you Orion, and I firmly believe that with my teachings and your devotion to your cause, you could easily join the council and become the 14th Prime. I've even spoken to the council themselves and they think my beliefs aren't unjustified. Though not all of them thought that..." he muttered, sounding annoyed to admit that.

"I do not believe I could ever become a Prime. I'm just a simple librarian. What could I offer to the council?" Orion asked doubtfully.

"What you have offered me in all the times we have spent together." Sentinel replied, "Courage, honour and a determination to use your gifts for enhancing lives. The Primes would be fortunate to have you among them."

Orion took all of this in, still looking doubtful. How could somebody like him ever be worthy of being a Prime? Just the very thought seemed ridiculous to him! How would the Primes take it, a librarian among the council? Sentinel had said that some of the Primes agreed with his beliefs but Orion felt that if he walked into that room, the Primes would take one look at him and laugh. But Sentinel clearly had faith in him and he knew better than to question his master's judgement. Sentinel was a Prime himself, and famed for being very wise. He obviously believed more in Orion than he did in himself. The librarian mulled over this for a moment before replying.

"What about Megatron? Do you think he could become a Prime?" he asked.

Sentinel looked taken aback at the answer. He wanted to ask what brought it up but felt it was better not to. He was aware of the friendship between the librarian and gladiator so it wasn't too unusual for Orion to ask about him. The old Prime shook his head grimly.

"He desires to be a Prime, that much I know. But he takes too much from Megatronus Prime. He's too violent, too much of a glory-bot." he said gravely, "I know it'll hurt you to hear this Orion, but I do not think Megatron has the same potential to become a Prime as you."

Orion looked down at his feet, not sure how to reply. He too had had similar feelings about the idea of Megatron being a Prime so he couldn't say he disagreed. He looked back at Sentinel.

"I wouldn't want him to know you said that. I fear it could put a strain on our friendship." he said.

"You don't have to tell him anything you don't want to." Sentinel reassured, his tone sympathetic, "It would be a boon to both of us if I created a rift between you two. And despite what I've said, it is possible that Megatron could be worthy of the title like I believe you are. Maybe you could tame the beast within him and mold him into a better person my son."

"It's a thought I relish, but one I fear will not be easy to bring to fruition." Orion said doubtfully. He knew that getting people to change was easier said than done.

"Nevertheless, we must still hold onto that thought and not give up on your friend. Many of us have changed for the better in life, it's possible Megatron could too." Sentinel suggested.

Orion nodded. He agreed much with that statement. He made a mental note to talk with Megatron after his fight tomorrow. Maybe he could pass on some of his new-gained knowledge to him and see how he reacted. For now, he picked up his sword and held it up high, ready to fight again.

"May we continue training?" he asked.

"Of course. Now, you disarmed me of my shield, let us see if you can repeat that with my sword." the Prime said, holding up his own.

The conversation that had taken place was briefly forgotten by both master and student as they began the next exercise, the room ringing with the clashing of swords once again.

* * *

The Pits of Kaon had once again, gathered a large crowd. This was an event that nobody wanted to miss. This was it, the Championship Finals. Today would now tell who would be the winner of this year's championship and who would be going home in a pile of scrap. Today's fight was going to be big. There were the two finalists, the reigning champion Megatron and the rookie known as Arcee. Arcee had been unknown, the audiences looking at her with curious intrigue when she had first stepped into the arena. She had quickly become a favourite after showing herself to be an incredible fighter. She had taken out many big-name contestants, including last year's runner up, and had beaten them all. Now the scrawny fem-bot was here, the only opponent now standing in Megatron's way for the third championship win of his career. Megatron was the favourite to win, but Arcee had just as much support. The audiences clearly weren't going to care who won, as long as they were entertained.

As promised, Orion Pax had come to attend the final. He was in the audience with his friend Ratchet, the two of them glancing over from Megatron to Arcee. They were surprised to see that a small Cybertronian like her had made it this far.

"I wouldn't have expected Megatron's final opponent to be a fem-bot." Ratchet admitted, "This "Arcee" person must be tougher than she looks."

"Considering her last opponent is still receiving repairs, it is clear Megatron would be unwise to underestimate her." Orion said thoughtfully, "I hope Megatron takes defeat gracefully if he loses."

On the other-side of the audience, there were two Cybertronians sitting at the front row and cheering for Megatron. One of them was Soundwave, who was recording the match even as he sat there in total silence while the crowd erupted into applause. The other was an ex-gladiator and one of Megatron's opponents from the last tournament. He was a flying Cybertronian with an alternate form resembling a jet. He had a silver and red colour scheme with traces of blue, a slender appearance and huge wings on his back. He even had a jetpack mounted there that could allow him flight in robot mode. His name was Starscream, and he was here to see if his friend would make it third-time-lucky. Not many would believe that he had actually been in the arena with Megatron in the last tournament and been defeated by him. Starscream certainly didn't act like somebody who had once been defeated by Megatron. He was even applauding for him right now.

"Do not miss a single moment Soundwave!" he barked, enthusiasm evident in his raspy, slithering voice, "We'll want to witness every moment of Megatron's victory today! I sure hope he scraps that insignificant little female! Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Soundwave just continued recording, giving no response to the one sitting next to him. The contestants in the arena took their places, gazing at each other as they prepared to make the first strike. Megatron deployed his sword and Arcee drew out a pair of katanas. The crowd fell silent as they waited for the match to begin. Nobody moved as the seconds ticked by. Megatron's face curled into a confident smirk.

"Do fight well little one. I wouldn't want to claim my third trophy without much of a fight." he crowed.

"Be careful what you wish for." Arcee retorted, a dry smile on her metallic lips, "You might just regret it."

The two Cybertronians adopted battle ready stances, waiting for the cue to fight. Both stood on their spots, knees bent, feet apart and centre of gravity balanced. A brief moment of silence as the world seemed to catch its breath. And then...

"FIGHT!"

That was the cue. Megatron reacted first, bellowing savagely as he stampeded towards his opponent. He was so huge that it took him four steps to reach Arcee and swing his sword. The rookie would've been cut in half if she hadn't reacted fast enough. She jumped straight over the sword and briefly landed on top of Megatron's arm. She then sprang off his arm and landed behind him. The audience oohed in amazement, surprised she had been able to move so fast. Arcee then spun on the balls of her feet, cleaving large gashes across Megatron's back with her katanas. The gashes were only superficial and didn't go deep enough to cause interior damage so Megatron didn't feel much pain. He swung his own sword, missing again as Arcee ducked. He couldn't believe what was happening. TWO swings already and he'd missed both times! It seemed his puny opponent was going to be more challenging than he thought. But Megatron knew that it wasn't just battle prowess that won a fight. He smirked as a plan formed in his head.

He ran towards Arcee, claws open and aimed for a powerful slash across the chest. Arcee jumped back...realizing too late that she'd been tricked. The moment she was airborne, Megatron aimed his fusion cannon and fired. The plasma blast slammed straight into Arcee, almost blowing her in two. Chunks of her abdomen plating were torn away and she hit the ground heavily, wisps of smoke drifting up from where she'd been hit. She grimaced, unable to move as pain flared through her circuits. Megatron laughed, pleased his plan had worked, and he ran towards his downed foe. He picked Arcee up, his hands so huge to her that he actually managed to wrap one entirely around her body, and tossed her into the air like a rag doll. Orion watched with concern as Arcee was sent flying into the air, screaming in terror. Was Megatron beginning to get TOO far into the game and was being too brutal? He and Ratchet watched, optics open wide as the fem-bot began to plummet back to earth. Megatron smirked confidently and took aim with his fusion cannon, aiming to shoot her before she landed.

But then the contestant pulled off a move that many would consider to be miraculous. As Arcee came back down, she pulled out what looked like a hi-tech crossbow weapon with a laser-generated arrow loaded into it. The moment Megatron fired another fusion blast, Arcee took aim herself and fired, the two shots cancelling each other out as they hit. The crowd gasped, unable to believe what they had witnessed. Starscream in particular was so taken aback that he nearly fell out of his seat. Soundwave didn't react, staying still and still recording the fight. Arcee landed down safely on both feet, looking casual as if what she'd done wasn't really that amazing. Megatron rolled both shoulders, pretending not to be impressed. Deep down, he had been as amazed as the audience upon seeing that move.

"You have incredible reflexes. I see now why you're the one challenging me in this final." Megatron purred.

"I always did prefer speed over strength." Arcee said dryly.

She took aim with her crossbow and fired another shot, hoping to hit Megatron in the eyes. The champion had expected the move and quickly weaved to one side to avoid being hit. He retaliated with a shot of his own, another plasma blast rocketing out of his fusion cannon towards his opponent. Arcee reacted fast, transforming into vehicle mode and moving out of the way. She sped towards Megatron, her engine whirring loudly as she picked up speed. Megatron fired several times, hoping to hit her, but he missed every shot as Arcee dodged them. The she-bot then transformed back into robot mode and sprang straight into Megatron's mid-section. She had hit the champion with surprising force, taking him clean off his feet and throwing him pretty far. The audience was amazed the small bot had managed to pull it off. Megatron landed on his back with Arcee on top of him. The rookie then began clawing at Megatron's face, hoping to damage his optics so that he wouldn't be able to see. But her opponent had closed them to protect them from her sharp fingers. He grabbed hold of Arcee's arm and tossed her aside, sending her sprawling across the floor.

Both contestants stood and Megatron made the first move, aiming his shoulder and charging towards Arcee. It was like standing on the tracks and watching an oncoming train hurtle towards you. Arcee was hit and carried across the arena by Megatron. She screamed as she was slammed against the wall by the champion. Parts of her armour cracked and a couple of wires inside her had snapped and were now sparking. The slam had been so hard that anybody in the front row had felt the floor shudder beneath them from impact. Megatron stood back, allowing his opponent to peel away from the wall and collapse onto the floor. Arcee grunted, trying to fight away the pain so she could stand again. Megatron smirked, ready to finish the fight and claim his third championship victory in a row. But then something happened that looked as if it would change the whole outcome of the fight. Arcee suddenly deployed one of her arm cannons, took aim and shot Megatron in the face! The blast had hit Megatron between the eyes, making him howl in anguish and stagger backwards. His face had been singed from where he'd been hit.

With her opponent now blinded, Arcee sprang back on her feet, seemingly full of new strength. She began to cut loose, unleashing a volley of fisticuffs on her opponent. Megatron felt every punch as Arcee threw them upwards, downwards and sideways to make sure Megatron felt it from every angle. His opponent could clearly punch hard for a cycle-former, feeling more as if he was being punched by Breakdown again instead of Arcee. Arcee roared savagely as she spun on one foot and drove the heel of her other foot directly into Megatron's cheek. The champion was sent staggering, almost falling over. Arcee made sure he did fall over as she roundhouse kicked him in the ankles, tripping him up and bringing him down heavily. Megatron picked himself up and rubbed his eyes, his vision clearing as the effects of the blast finally wore off. He only just had time to register a glint of light reflecting on a shiny surface before a blur of movement filled his field of vision and he was once again clutching his face in pain. He could feel heavy scratches across his face and two chunks of metal fell away from the sides of his head. A trickle of Energon snaked down from the cuts and to his chin.

Arcee had drawn her katanas out and slashed Megatron before he could recover. Now he was stunned again, Arcee decided to finish this off as quickly as possible. She took aim and sliced down with one of her swords. Megatron howled as one of his hands detached itself from his wrist and fell onto the floor. He bellowed again as Arcee plunged one of the katanas directly into his leg. She didn't take it back out, leaving it driven in there to further hinder his movements. With her other katana, she swung it and drew a large gash across Megatron's chest. And then finally, she stabbed her opponent in the shoulder and pulled on the katana, trying to wrench his arm clean off by using the sword to force it off. Megatron cried out, pain flaring through his body. The audience began to cheer and gasp, unable to believe that the rookie was actually winning. But the books very quickly turned into Megatron's favour as the Kaon Gladiator slammed the arm that had lost a hand directly on top of Arcee's head.

The blow disoriented her enough for her to let go of the katana and stagger backwards. Megatron then punched her with his right arm, the arm that still had a hand, the blow so hard that Arcee ended up spitting out drops of Energon. Then seizing her by the head, Megatron picked Arcee up off the floor and began slamming her against the floor, swinging her effortlessly and with no visible straining like she was a bag of feathers to him. Every slam caused Arcee to lose more chunks of armour and more cracks to spread on her body. Then Megatron threw her onto the floor and stomped down hard on Arcee's back, nearly snapping her lateral flexor in half. The fem-bot screamed, her cries carrying all the pain and anguish in the world. Orion cringed and turned away, unable to watch anymore. Then to finish off, Megatron kicked Arcee into the air, aimed his fusion cannon and fired a single shot. The blast hit Arcee, tearing her almost in half as more pieces of her armour were destroyed. Parts of her exoskeleton were even exposed due to how damaged she was. She lay on the floor, a sorry wreck of a machine that was unable to do anything but lay in a puddle of her own Energon. Megatron stood over her, making sure she was officially defeated. The fem-bot took one last look at her opponent before her optics closed. She had mercifully passed out, signifying her defeat.

There was a brief silence as the audience took this in. The silence was very quickly broken as applause exploded all around the arena. History had been made today. For the first time in Kaon City's history, a gladiator champion had won the title for the third year in a row. The champion had done it again! Megatron rose his arms in triumph, basking in the glory of what had just happened. He had done it! He had won another championship! Starscream whopped with joy while Soundwave remained still. Of course, he was delighted his friend had won but he didn't show it.

"All hail Megatron!" Starscream screeched with excitement.

The crowd began to chant in unison, all crying out over and over:

"MEG-A-TRON! MEG-A-TRON! MEG-A-TRON!"

Megatron himself couldn't keep himself from smiling, enjoying every minute of his success. He wondered how many would dare take him on when next year's tournaments began. He punched the air, sharing the audience's excitement.

"Kaon still has its champion my followers!" he cheered, "I have become your champion for the third time! I have protected my title, and I shall do it again! All for the glory of Kaon! Say my name!" he encouraged.

"MEG-A-TRON!" the audience bellowed.

"SAY MY NAME!" Megatron roared, louder.

"MEG-A-TRON!" the audience repeated.

 **"SAY MY NAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!"** Megatron roared, the loudest he could possibly roar.

 **"MEG-A-TROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"**

The noise that erupted was deafening, thousands of voices all screaming at once as if trying to top one another to show their support for their champion. Orion and Ratchet were the only ones that weren't cheering. Orion was happy that Megatron had won of course, but he hadn't liked watching him nearly dismantle that poor fem-bot just to do it. He gazed over at Arcee's mangled body as the drone bots came into the arena to take her away. He felt sorry for her, feeling the damage she'd received had been too much and how the crowd was basically ignoring her now. She deserved some credit for coming close to winning at least! He decided he would help her recover. He turned to Ratchet.

"Go to the medical staff and request if Arcee can be put in your care." Orion said, "I believe she would be better off with your expertise if she's to recover."

"Why?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"I would like to give her some comfort and reassurance. It would probably help her recover from this brutal defeat." Orion said.

Ratchet nodded. He didn't see anything wrong with Orion's demands. Plus, the staff at the Pits of Kaon were easy to bribe. All you had to do was pay them enough and they would do as you said. He and Orion left their seats to make their request, leaving Megatron in the arena to soak in his glory.

* * *

"Ungh…wh…where am…I?"

Arcee had no idea how long she'd been out. She also had no idea what had happened. One minute she'd passed out after being defeated by Megatron and the next, she was suddenly waking up in a hospital with wires attached to her body. She was lying on a medical bench, a monitor beside her that was showing the doctors what her condition was. The fem-bot cringed, still feeling the pain of her injuries. But she noticed that parts of her body had been welded and some of her wounds had patched up. Whoever had taken her in had clearly been a skilled medic. She had expected to feel much worse than she already did.

Arcee looked around for any signs of a doctor. She seemed to be alone. But then two Cybertronians walked into the room. One of them clearly looked like a doctor, the white and red colours being an obvious indicator. But the other looked more like he should be in a fighting ring than a hospital. She hadn't seen any of them before. The doctor appeared to be talking to the other Cybertronian.

"She's just over here Orion. Her vital signs are stable and as calculated, she should be awake any moment…"

The doctor stopped as he saw that Arcee was already awake and looking at him.

"…now." he finished.

"It is good to see she is doing well Ratchet." Orion said brightly.

He approached the bed bound fem-bot, smiling warmly at her. Arcee was puzzled. Why was this stranger so happy to see her? Had they met before? She didn't know him but he seemed glad to see her awake as if she and he were somehow friends.

"Who…who are you?" Arcee asked weakly.

"My name is Orion Pax. I was there when you and Megatron fought in the finals a few weeks ago." the librarian introduced.

Weeks?! It had been WEEKS ago?! Arcee could hardly believe her audio receptors.

"I've been…out for weeks?!" she exclaimed, "Ugh…ungh…Megatron must have…scrapped me more than I thought!"

"He did indeed give you quite a beating." Orion said grimly, "I told him that he didn't need to be so brutal in these fights but he was adamant, insisting that it was for the spectacle of the show to entertain the audience."

"Why those savages would EVER be entertained by such a blood sport, I'll NEVER know!" Ratchet spat venomously.

"Why…why did you…bring me here? Where…am I anyway?" Arcee asked.

"You are in Iacon City, and this is the Solus Medical Centre." Orion answered, "This hospital is the best place to receive medical attention, especially since the patients are placed in the capable hands of my good friend, Ratchet, here." he said, motioning to the medic bot.

"You don't have to oversell me Orion, I'm just a medic who likes to repair the wounded." Ratchet said modestly.

Arcee began to feel touched. How kind of these two to bring her to a place like this. She knew full well the Solus Medical Centre was the best place she could end up in. It was well known for is top-rated medical treatment and hiring some of the best medics on Cybertron.

"Why…are you doing this…for me?" Arcee asked curiously, "You…shouldn't even care…about me…"

She paused as she coughed a few times before continuing.

"I lost…the damn fight. I'm…not worthy of…such luxury. You…should've…just left me to be tossed…aside and…forgotten." the fem-bot muttered, "I only…joined that slagging contest…to get noticed and…get some money for myself. Now I lost…nobody will…ever give a scrap about me."

Orion was surprised to hear this. Arcee had joined the tournament to get some money? He had expected the reason to be for sport just like any other contestant.

"You are poor I presume?" he asked.

"I was…just a vagabond. I had nowhere…to go, nowhere to call home." Arcee explained, "I just…wandered the planet…while hunting turbo-foxes for sport. I had no one, not even…my sister Flamewar. She never…liked me much."

"Why did you become a drifter?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"I…don't wanna talk about it…" the patient said coldly.

"You do not have to if you do not wish to." Orion said softly, "If you wish to have a place to stay and somebody to talk to, then I would be happy to offer you a place at my side. I am a librarian working in the Hall of Records and it would be most helpful to have an assistant by my side. Me and Ratchet will take good care of you and I could even train you to be a better warrior."

Arcee couldn't believe what she was hearing. She almost wanted to cry with how touched she was by the kind offer.

"You…you really…want to take me in? Give me…a place to stay…and train me to be a better fighter?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It would be my pleasure. Nobody deserves to wander the planet alone, or be without a home." Orion said, "And do not worry about being a burden Arcee. I'd be happy to take you in."

Without thinking about what she was doing, Arcee sat up on the bench and pulled Orion into a grateful hug. Ratchet stared, almost incredulous at what was happening. Orion just returned the hug, grateful to receive such a response.

"Orion…how can I EVER repay you?" Arcee whispered, a tear of lubricant trickling down her cheek.

"No payment is necessary. I'm just happy to help out Arcee." Orion replied.

Once Arcee had recovered, he would take her to the Hall of Records for her first day as assistant librarian. He would also teach her what he had been taught by Sentinel Prime. He would make sure this fem-bot's life turned for the better and she wouldn't be a lonely outcast anymore. Little would he realize that there was a big future ahead for his future assistant. A future almost as big for her as for himself…


	3. Eve of War Part 2

_Eve of War Part 2: The Fallen_

The Palace of the Primes. Said to be every government figure's favourite place to be in all of Cybertron. Many political heads would happily pay a visit or be invited into a place like this. And nobody could really blame those people. The Palace of the Primes was the very home of the most powerful people on the planet, both politically and physically. This place was where the famous 13 Primes were housed.

The Palace itself was two things at once. It was both a home for the Primes and a political house where politicians, government officials and councillors would gather to disguise the state of their planet, political affairs and make decisions to try and better their world. The 13 Primes were here right now, all gathered together around a large round table with a holographic image generator built into the centre to show images that could be used to back up a point being made or a fact being stated. The generator was currently on, showing a highly detailed, three-dimensional image of Cybertron itself. It was so realistic looking that anybody walking into the room could easily have mistaken it for the real thing shrunken down to a manageable size and stored above the table. The room also had a large window that offered breath-taking views of the city of Iacon outside and allowed the Primes to watch the sun rise and set if they pleased. Nobody was watching anything accept each other as today's meeting began.

All 13 of the Primes were here. The very council that ran the planet were currently discussing the present affairs of their world. The Primes all ranged in designs and functions, and were famed for one particular thing. The leader of the council was named Prima, and he was known for being a warrior of light and the one to lead all discussions the council had.

The other twelve consisted of Solus Prime, Vector Prime, Quintis Prime, Alpha Trion, Amalgamous Prime, Sentinel Prime, Onyx Prime, Liege Maximo, Nexus Prime, Alchemist Prime, Micronus Prime and Megatronus Prime.

Solus Prime was famed for creating her trademark weapon and crafter of other weapons, a giant hammer known as the Forge of Solus Prime. With it, she could create anything she could think of out of raw-materials with a simple swing of the hammer. Many of the weapons the Primes used were a result of her amazing invention. She was also notorious for being the only female Prime and the first ever female Cybertronian to exist.

Vector Prime was a master of time and space, able to time travel with just a swish of his trademark weapons, the Blades of Time. Because of this ability, he would prefer to solve a problem just by warping it away to another time zone than actually fighting. It was also speculated, even among the Primes themselves, that he was the oldest of them all.

Quintis Prime was a scientist, a career he ended up taking up because of his daydreaming tendencies that led to him expressing his ideas. He was possibly the first ever Cybertronian scientist and had created the Emberstone, which gave him the ability to create life. He was also the mentor of other scientists, including Ratchet and Shockwave.

Alpha Trion was a historian who was known for being the Holder of the Quill, the very thing he used to record the past, present and future in a book known as the Covenant of Primus. He was also the one in charge of the Hall of Records and the one to mentor Orion Pax in his role as librarian.

Amalgamous Prime was quite possibly the most important member of the Primes for he was the first ever Cybertronian with the ability of transformation, the very feature that defined the Cybertronian race as of today. This had been achieved by him passing on the very item that made transformation possible, the transformation cog or "T-Cog" as it was often known as. He was unpredictable, and known to not stay in one form for long, but was also easy-going.

Onyx Prime was the most unusual of the Primes, looking more animalistic in appearance than most Cybertronians. He was in-tune with nature and the organic, caring more for the wildlife than the people of the planet. Because of his appearance, many speculated that he was the first ever Beast-former and might even be the creator of the sub-species.

Liege Maximo was the manipulator of the Primes, able to manipulate others into his way of thinking with his silver tongue. His artefact was the Leigian Darts, which were toxin loaded, though he preferred to use his skills as a manipulator than any weapons. His uncanny ability to sway others made him valuable in political debates.

Nexus Prime was notorious for being the first ever Cybertronian with the ability to combine. He was made up of five different Cybertronians, his torso, arms and legs all being individual components that could operate individually or as one. He achieved this skill by inventing the Enigma of Combination and had tried to pass this skill on, only to learn that combining isn't as easy as it looks to him. He was also infamous for being a prankster, something that irritated the Primes on a regular basis.

Alchemist Prime was a student of the elemental structure in the natural world. He could see further and deeper than anyone in the world thanks to his trademark lenses and could see in both material and spiritual senses. He was also the co-founder of Cybertronian civilization along with Alpha Trion and was a close friend of his. Whenever there was a council meeting, the two would always sit together.

Micronus Prime was the conscience of the Primes and was also the smallest due to being the first ever Mini-Con. His small size didn't make him any less formidable and he could enhanced other's powers by linking up with them through the use of his trademark artefact, the Chimera Stone. He had created many more Mini-Cons and they played a part in helping win fights or carrying out helpful tasks such as building and construction work.

The final one, Megatronus Prime, was the Warrior of Darkness and the one the Primes liked the least. He was the wielder of the Requiem Blaster, a weapon strong enough to blow a building over and said weapon had been forged by Solus herself. He had wanted to sit with Solus as the Primes had filed in to begin the meeting. As usual, she had refused and was sitting next to Nexus, much to his irritation.

Nobody in the room spoke for a minute as Prima, who of course was sitting at the head of the table, swept his optics over them all to see if all the Primes were here. Prima looked very imposing, more like a king on his throne than a council member. His large shoulders that resembled pauldrons, his great size, his powerful arms and grand voice that could easily be heard quickly identified him as the leader of this council without anybody needing to know him first. Satisfied that everybody was here, Prima spoke.

"Council, it is a pleasure to have all of you here today." he said, his voice echoing around the room, "I'm glad you could all attend this meeting. So shall we begin?"

All twelve heads around the table nodded.

"As you all know, it is a brand new year for our people. As is traditional, we must evaluate the events of the previous year and see if any improvements have been made for our people and our world since then." he announced, motioning over to the holographic image of Cybertron beaming up from the centre of the table.

The image flickered and changed into what looked like some kind of chart. There was a line going down, suggesting that the statistics had gone down since the last time this chart had been updated. The Primes all looked at it to study as Prima explained what it was about.

"Thanks to the success of our Cybertronian Police Force and the Elite Guard, crime seems to be taking a dive as crime figures have decreased significantly over the last year." Prima announced, clearly sounding pleased to be saying this, "It's admirable to see how well the two forces work together and how efficiently they can tackle a crime. It is most unfortunate that Officer Barricade ended up proving to be a bad seed and was relived of duty but as you know, we cannot let murderers be officers of the law."

"I can't believe you seriously believe that scrap Prima..." Megatronus sighed, sounding irritated. His posture was unprofessional, leaning on the table with his head resting on his hand and supporting himself with his elbow. He was bored and didn't care if it showed.

"Megatronus, we've discussed this before." Prima said firmly, "We want a peaceful planet and we can't keep the peace if we just let our officers murder criminals. We made the law to dissuade such behaviour, NOT encourage it."

Megatronus didn't reply. He knew that Prima wouldn't listen to what he had to say anyway. The leader of the Primes continued.

"In regards to our officers, we can rest easy knowing that the gang war between Dropkick, Stockade and the Stunticons was finally brought to an end and that crime lord, Thunderhoof, won't be carrying out his operations again. It was disturbing to hear that half of our police force was on his payroll so now with the corrupt cops locked up, hopefully we shall have a clean force that will uphold the law instead of break it ."

The Primes all murmured with delight, sharing their approval of this statement.

"I would also like to inform you all that my training with Orion Pax is continuing to go well." Sentinel announced. As usual, he was on Prima's right side on the table and he addressed the whole council as he spoke, "The young bot shows plenty of promise and my training is truly beginning to shape him up into the Prime I believe he could become. If my faith in him isn't displaced at all, he could be sitting with us around this very table in the future."

"Ha, ha, ha! Don't make me laugh Sentinel!" Megatronus sneered, "How senile are you if you seriously believe a bookworm from the Hall of Records could become one of us? Have you got a few wires loose in that head of yours?"

"At least my head is screwed on right." Sentinel muttered in annoyance, "I'm still yet to see you with yours on right Megatronus."

"Say that again you pompous, arrogant little...!" Megatronus snarled, rising out of his seat in anger.

"Sit down Megatronus!" Prima barked. He hadn't sounded angry when giving the order, but his voice had been loud and firm without losing his composure.

The Warrior of Darkness growled but said nothing as he sat back down again. Alpha Trion visibly sighed and looked away from him. How much longer would the Primes ignore his warnings about Megatronus while he continues to act so unprofessionally? Alchemist nodded sympathetically, sharing his friend's displeasure. Prima continued as if nothing had happened.

"Does anyone here have anything we need to hear about?" he asked.

"Only that I have recently made a scientific breakthrough my liege." Quintis Prime announced, raising his hand.

"Do tell." Prima said, sounding interested.

The science master looked around the table to see if everybody was listening before he continued. He spoke slowly, measuring his words as if making sure he had said the right ones.

"You know the theories going around that Cybertron's twin moons might actually be Cybertronians in a dormant state?" he began.

All twelve heads watching him nodded.

"I have held an expedition in which me and any students of mine who have graduated flew up to one of the moons." Quintis continued, "On that moon, we couldn't see any evidence that the moon was a Transformer like us. Until we came across a tell-tale sign that could change how we view the moon."

"Which moon was it?" Solus asked.

"The one we named after the Chaos God, Unicron." Quintis answered, "On our trip, we came across a cavern that had clusters upon clusters of Energon. We know for a fact that this means we were right all along. The Unicron moon is not a moon, but a Cybertronian in a dormant state. Why else would there be Energon on the moon? But the Energon the moon contained as very different to our Energon. It was coloured purple instead of blue for starters. And also, it seemed to have a rather unpleasant effect on some of my students. Some of them become weak when exposed to it for too long and we had to get them away from it so as not to effect their health. In order not to risk the well-being of my students, I sent them back to Cybertron so I could study it myself. Luckily, the substance had no effect on me."

"And what have you found out about this strange Energon?" Alpha Trion inquired, "And would you consider it dangerous?"

"Testing shows that the Energon is a very potent substance. It can enhance the power of another Cybertronian, as I found out when I tested it on a Mini-Con." Quintis explained, "But it has some rather unfortunate side effects. It corrupts ordinary Energon and can turn the effected Cybertronian violent and Energon-thirsty. It can also be quite destructive as the Mini-Con I tested it on ended up blowing to pieces afterwards. I haven't tried this yet but I have a theory that the substance could potentially revive the dead as well. It is quite clear that this substance, which I have decided to label "Dark Energon", is extremely dangerous and that we shouldn't go to Unicron again. We wouldn't want anybody to become a victim of the Energon."

"The stories say that Unicron's blood was tainted, not like true Energon." Alpha murmured, "So if the moon is full of this "Dark Energon" you discovered, it could be possible that the moon is Unicron himself. And if that's the case, we best not try to revive him. If he is anything like what the legends say..."

"...he could be the apocalypse we strive to prevent." Prima agreed, "So in light of this news, we shall pass forth a new law. We will no longer permit any visits to Unicron. He is considered a hazard zone and we will prohibit any attempt to set foot on him. We'll have all our starships programmed to override any attempts to fly to the moon and anyone who is seen trying to go to Unicron will be immediately arrested. Are all in favour of this new law?"

Only eleven hands raised up. Megatronus kept his down. Prima saw this and glared at him coldly.

"I assume you disapprove of this idea?" the leader asked, his tone challenging as if he dared Megatronus to speak against him.

"I do your honour, with all due respect of course." the dark warrior said, "I find this whole idea of prohibiting anyone to travel to Unicron ludicrous. If the moon is indeed him, how in Primus's name could anybody possibly wake him? He's been dormant for centuries! CENTURIES! What makes you think people traipsing across his surface would wake him up now? And this Dark Energon Quintis has discovered! He's made quite possibly, one of the biggest new discoveries in millennia and we're just gonna let it sit on the moon doing nothing? That just seems incredibly wasteful if you ask me."

"So you call leaving a potentially lethal substance our of harm's way "wasteful"?" Sentinel snorted, sounding incredulous as if he couldn't believe what he'd heard.

"Megatronus, do I need to swing my Forge at you again?" Solus put in.

"Quintis himself has explained that Dark Energon can enhance the power of others!" Megatronus retorted, "Can you imagine what we could do with that kind of power? We could use it to push those criminal types into their place and they'll never dare break the law again! And yes, I know that Quintis said there were side-effects but what if we could get rid of said side-effects? We could perfect the Dark Energon, make it safe to use and use it to enforce our rule over Cybertron. With the power like what Dark Energon possibly contains, we would never he challenged again!"

"Whoa, easy there Megs!" Nexus exclaimed, holding his hands up defensively, "Those words have a twinge of fascism to them. That's not how the Primes roll buddy."

"Then maybe it's time we stopped being "Holier-than-thou" and became a little more ruthless!" the Prime ranted, "We've become too passive over the years thanks to our desire to be pure. A noble mind-set I know, but GRAVELY misguided! If we continue the way we do, there will be no peace on this planet as we'll be seen as weak and be taken as a joke! But the Dark Energon could change the whole equation. We could establish ourselves as the rulers of this world with nobody to stand against us! We are the Primes, and it's time we showed that!"

"You are insane Megatronus!" Sentinel roared, pounding the table in anger, "You want to turn the Council of Primes into a dictatorship?! I would have thought you was better than this! We do not rule our world through fear and oppression! That kind of attitude will lead to anarchy and rebellion!"

"We still have anarchy and rebellion the way things are now!" Megatronus argued, "We could prevent all of that if we used the Dark Energon to improve ourselves and..."

"That is enough!" Prima boomed, standing up straight so as to catch everybody's attention, "Megatronus, I won't deny that you have good intentions but the ends do NOT justify the means in this case. We are passing this new law through given how you are outvoted 12 to 1 and we will not be allowing any contact with the Dark Energon. We must rule through example and not fear."

"But Prima, I must protest..."

"Say another word and you will lose your seat in the council. Understand?"

Megatronus fell silent, looking down at the table bitterly as he tasted defeat once again. He should've expected these short-sighted fools to disagree with him and continue being the pompous bunch of tightwads they always had been! Why would they see the fruits of his desires this time? He got up out of his seat, clenching his fists.

"Well...it appears that you've shown your true colours my lord." he said grimly, "You are nothing more than a self-righteous hypocrite! You talk about not wanting to rule by fear and oppression, yet you threaten to banish me just for wanting to speak my peace? I guess nobody is allowed a say unless they appeal to your VERY particular desires Prima. If this is what the 13 Primes have become...then I don't belong here."

He turned his back on the council and stormed out of the room without saying another word. He didn't even ask to be excused. The door closed behind him, leaving the remaining 12 Primes to murmur among each other with concern. This was the first time anybody had resigned from the Council like so. What should they do about it? As much as Megatronus had been argumentative and opinionated, they hadn't expected him to just leave like that, not after staying on the council for so long.

"Do you think we should do anything about this?" Micronus Prime asked, his voice surprisingly loud and clear for a small Cybertronian.

"Megatronus may well have had rather undesirable ideas but I don't think he is of too much concern to us." Prima said casually, "Once we pass this law, he'll not be able to get to Unicron if he tries to. Even then, he's never been one to break the law, no matter how violently he's disagreed with us."

"We shouldn't be so short-sighted as to think he's no danger Prima." Alpha warned, "I've always had my doubts about Megatronus and his resigning is only confirming my doubts. Now he's essentially broken away from the council, he's more of a threat than he is before as we are less able to keep a close watch on him."

Alchemist just nodded, sharing his friend's thoughts. He too had had doubts about the Warrior of Darkness and was the only one who shared such doubts with Alpha Trion.

"Nothing goes on in this world without us knowing about it." Prima insisted.

"Prima's right. If that slagger tries anything, we'll know about it." Solus agreed, "Megatronus won't be a match for any of us, even if he is one of us. We have nothing to fear."

"I do hope you're not going to regret saying those words..." the historian said cryptically.

He had a feeling the Primes were now making the biggest mistake of their lives. Time would tell if they would end up paying for it...

* * *

"Target locked…and…fire!"

A single laser bolt shot out and hit a target that had been set up a good, long distance away from the person that had shot it. Despite being so far away that it looked like a speck in the distance, the shooter had managed to hit the target squarely in the middle, not even a millimetre off mark. There was now a black singe mark where the laser had hit. The one who had fired the shot punched the air triumphantly, pleased to have once again scored a bullseye.

"Yes! Another great shot! And to think that's the furthest away I've ever been from a target."

Orion Pax, who had been standing by, had watched the shot and was impressed that the trainee had managed to hit it despite how far away it was. He looked down at her with a smile on his face.

"Your skills continue to improve Arcee." he said kindly, "I'm glad to see my training is paying off."

"Now I'm perfecting my shooting, I'll soon be ready to perfect my combat skills." Arcee said, standing up and putting her crossbow away, "And when that's done, I'll never be scrapped the way I was after fighting Megatron again. I bet I could even take him on and beat him this time." she added, clenching her fists.

"You'll have to sign up for the next Kaon Gladiatorial Championships if you wish to test that theory." Orion noted, "There will be a new one starting in a few months. You could maybe enter then."

"I'll see if they'll let me." the fem-bot declared, "And with any hope, I'll get to have the rematch of a lifetime. I just hope I don't dent Megatron's pride too badly."

"I'm…sure he'll be graceful in defeat." the librarian said uncertainly.

It had been a couple of years since Orion had taken Arcee under his wing as an apprentice in the Hall of Records. After she'd recovered from her brutal injuries at Megatron's hands, Arcee had been quick to learn how to be a librarian and what goes on in the Hall of Records. She had even met Alpha Trion and the historian had been quick to accept her as a member of staff. Even now, she still couldn't believe that an actual member of the Primes had given his approval like that. But Arcee hadn't just wanted to learn how to be a librarian and spend her days filing data away. She had wanted to become a greater warrior that she already was. She still took her defeat at Megatron's hands badly and Orion had promised to train her to be a better fighter. It seemed strange to him that he was mentoring Arcee on being a warrior when he himself had yet to take part in a fight.

His training seemed to be paying off though, passing on knowledge that Sentinel Prime had passed on to him. Arcee was a sharper shooter than she had been before and she seemed to be getting stronger. During one sparring match, she had actually managed to kick Ratchet across the room…and straight into some tools. How he had yelled at her for that! What had made her such a promising student for Orion was her eagerness to learn. She never dropped out of a lesson, she never refused to take part in any lessons and had stood by Orion's teachings, even the boring ones. It made Orion think of his relationship with Sentinel. How funny it seemed that there were some huge parallels between his relationship with Arcee and Sentinel. It was almost as if he had become Sentinel and Arcee was becoming him.

"Shall we return to the Hall of Records?" Orion asked, "We do not want to be late for work."

"You got that right. Last thing I need is Alpha Trion giving me another long-winded lecture about time-keeping." Arcee scoffed.

Orion knew too well what his assistant meant by that. Alpha Trion may seem like a friendly Cybertronian when you got to know him but he didn't take being late very lightly. He would always say something along the lines of "The minutes to spend getting here could've been spent filing data" and Arcee had gotten fed up of hearing that same phrase over and over. The two Cybertronians transformed into their vehicle modes, a hover bike for Arcee with some modifications that made her even faster than before, and a red and blue Cybertronian vehicle that resembled a big rig truck for Orion Pax. In this mode, he could carry a trailer if he so desired but had none with him at the moment. The two librarians headed off, kicking their engines into gear so they could travel as quickly as possible. They hovered over the rough services of the valley they had come to train in and lowered down onto their wheels once they reached the road.

The roads were long and very smooth, allowing comfortable travelling for any transformer in vehicle mode. Arcee enjoyed speeding down these roads as they made her feel free and exhilarated the faster she went. She picked up speed now, pulling away from Orion Pax. He just watched, amused by his assistant's love of speed. He had to admit, he quite admired the fem-bot's adventurous and fun side. It reminded him of the things in life he had to enjoy outside of work and his training. Wanting to enjoy himself too, he picked up speed and chased after Arcee. He wasn't as fast as her in vehicle mode, but he still managed to catch up to her and was not too far behind. Arcee chuckled, as if amused at the fact her teacher was actually able to keep up, and pressed on. But after ten minutes of travelling, the hover-bike suddenly began to slow down. She had slowed so much that Orion was able to pull up beside her. The two travelled side-by-side at a cruising speed as if they'd wanted to enjoy the view instead of just rush by and not see anything.

"Why have you slowed?" Orion asked curiously.

"I just caught sight of the moons up there." Arcee explained, "They're out again."

Orion looked up from his windscreen and saw that the ex-gladiator was right. The two moons of Cybertron, Primus and Unicron, were out again. Moons on Cybertron didn't work the same way as moons on Earth for they didn't always come out at night. They would sometimes be visible at random points in the day, sometimes both together and sometimes one at a time. There were occasions in which the moons would sometimes move in front of the sun, like a solar eclipse. As of now, they were visible just on the left side of the sun, faint outlines in the morning sky. As they moved, they would disappear from view for a few hours before being visible again.

"I always like to watch them when they're visible." Arcee went on, "There's something…beautiful about those moons. Every time they come out I just find myself spellbound."

"I share you sentiments Arcee." Orion murmured, "The moons are quite a sight to behold. As beautiful as they are mysterious…"

"Quite." Arcee agreed, "I've read the stories about them in the Hall of Records. Do you…really think they're not actual moons?"

"We currently lack any evidence that suggests they are anything but moons. But even facts can change." Orion noted, "I often like to imagine I could fly up there myself and investigate the moons, find out all I can about them and discover whatever secrets they may hold."

"If one of them is the mythical Unicron, we should thank Primus that he doesn't show any signs of waking up." the hover-cycle said grimly, "If he's anything like the stories, I sure as hell wouldn't wanna meet him."

"He is one story that I pray is not a reality…" the librarian agreed.

The two ignored the moons for the time-being as they continued to approach the Hall of Records. But as they turned onto another road and sped down a long straight heading to Iacon, they saw something detach itself from the scenery around them and head straight up into the sky. It was long and straight with a pointed nose cone, looking like a giant, metal pencil drawing a streak of smoke through the sky as it rose. Arcee couldn't help but laugh at this.

"How ironic considering what you said earlier." she snickered.

"I wonder who is in that rocket and where it is headed." Orion murmured thoughtfully.

"Could be going to one of the moons. Maybe anyone back home will know." Arcee suggested.

They turned their attention away from the rocket and back onto their journey back to Iacon. The city continued to grow as they drew closer and closer to it. They were making good time too, with only a half an hour until it was time for them to work. They wouldn't be late today.

The librarians carried on down the roads, the rocket they had spotted continuing its progress as it left Cybertron. Had Orion known who was in the rocket, he would have every reason to be concerned. And so would the Primes themselves…

* * *

Over in the city of Kaon, somebody else was baring witness to the ascending rocket. It looked very far away, just a tiny speck growing smaller and smaller as it took off, but it was still visible. The very transformer witnessing this now was Starscream. The jet-bot had been on his way to the local bar to join Megatron in celebrating another gladiatorial win. He had won for a record-breaking FIFTH time, making him the Kaon Champion with the highest wins of any gladiator in history. Starscream was in his vehicle mode as he was watching the rocket. In this mode, he was a Cybertronian jet fighter with a very stream-lined design with very few rough edges or points and a large wingspan. In this mode, he was the fastest Cybertronian in the sky with nobody yet able to best him. He hummed to himself with interest as he saw the rocket leave the atmosphere of the planet.

"I wonder where that's going…" he thought, "One of our moons perhaps? I'll see what Megatron thinks about this."

He lowered his nosecone as he headed down towards the ground. He could see the bar just ahead and Megatron was standing outside with his other two friends, Soundwave and Shockwave. Of course they were there, Megatron never went anywhere without them. They along with Starscream were kind of a group, and one that enjoyed themselves whenever they were together. Starscream shape-shifted into his robot mode and landed just before the trio, gesturing wildly as if he'd made some kind of grand entrance. It was part of his haughty personality, the need to show-off a little. Megatron didn't seem very impressed.

"Glad you could make it Starscream. I would've hated to have celebrated my fifth championship win without you old friend." he purred.

"You know me Megatron, I'm NEVER let to any party!" Starscream cried, "As I was approaching the bar, I caught sight of a rocket leaving the planet. I saw it pass through the atmosphere just seconds ago." he added, bringing up what he'd seen.

"A rocket? They don't usually send many of them up." Megatron mused thoughtfully, "Shockwave, do you have any theories?"

"The most logical conclusion would be that it's another space mission." Shockwave said matter-of-factly, "Perhaps it is to do with the ongoing investigations of the moons."

"So we still have crazy conspiracy theorists thinking they might not be moons and thus, need to study them and find out." Starscream sighed irritably, "When are those scrap-heads going to get their heads wired on right? They're moons, nothing more! I think we'd know if they were Cybertronians by now!"

"Nevertheless, I am quite interested to know what that rocket is up to." Megatron declared, "If it's going somewhere important, I'd like to find out where. It could even be somewhere that has something I could use in my gladiatorial matches to make myself even more invincible. Or maybe…powerful enough to become a Prime!" he declared, grinning like a shark that's just spotted its dinner.

"It is possible but unlikely." Shockwave noted.

"It never hurts to find out just in case…" the champion said, "Soundwave, follow that rocket and find out where it is headed! When you find it, report back to us at once."

Soundwave nodded and transformed into his spy drone form. Once he had shape-shifted, he took off into the sky as fast as he could and used his highly advanced scanning equipment to track where the rocket was. He could see a fading trail of smoke that indicated where it had been and set his sights on following it. In this form, Soundwave could travel at almost supersonic speeds so he wouldn't have much trouble catching up to the rocket. Megatron, Starscream and Shockwave watched him leave, curious on what their friend was going to report back…

* * *

The rocket didn't have a long journey to take. Its pilot hadn't intended on going far. The rocket was now in space, Cybertron clearly visible behind it as it continued to travel. It was always a spectacular view for anybody going into space to see their planet from above. For many Transformers, seeing Cybertron from space was one of the most amazing sights in the entire universe. But the pilot wasn't interested in sight-seeing. He had his optics fixed on the Unicron moon right ahead. The moon was a huge spherical rock, or at least it looked like rock, floating in space. Upon getting closer, the pilot could see that the "rock" was actually metal. From a distance, it only looked rocky. The moon also had a par of curved, pointy structures that resembled horns in some way. The very horns that Unicron was often depicted with in the stories. Maybe if he was able to transform, he would still have those horns in his robot mode.

The rocket landed on Unicron, touching down with a soft hiss and a clank as its landing gear came into contact with the surface. The docking ramp hissed open and slowly lowered down to the ground. The pilot, who was Megatronus Prime, stepped down the ramp and onto the moon. His optics swept over the terrain, scanning for any signs of life. He found nothing, meaning he was alone. Of course the Primes wouldn't be so smart as to prepare for the possibility of his sneaking out of the planet and coming here! They never were as clever as they prided themselves as being. Megatronus looked around, walking forwards, and searched for the cavern that Quintis Prime had talked about in the meeting. Where was it? The moon was big, but not too big so he wouldn't have a lot of searching to do at least. He could traverse the whole moon in an hour or two if he used his vehicle mode.

"The Primes will regret saying no to me." Megatronus declared, "I only wanted to make the most of a new find and they think it's a bad idea! They'll soon realize how foolish they were to waste such a promising find…"

He then transformed into his alternate mode, which was a Cybertronian jet that looked more alien in design than any other jet-former on Cybertron thanks to its grotesque design that made it look almost alive with glowing lights on the nosecone that made it look as if it had eyes. It looked more like a gruesome creature shaped like a jet than an actual jet. He activated his rockets and sped around the moon, moving at great speeds. It was amazing to think just how big Unicron actually was when up close to it. How big would he be if he could transform? Bigger than even Cybertron himself perhaps! Megatronus found it fascinating to imagine as he searched for the cavern. It didn't take him long to find, coming across it after just a few minutes of searching. It was a large, round hole with a bunch of triangular metal structures all-around said hole. It was very bizarre to see, almost like staring at the mouth of a giant monster than a hole.

Megatronus would've gone by if he hadn't picked up an energy signature telling him that that cavern was indeed the one he was looking for. His scans were going off the charts with the signature they'd picked up. Wow, Quintis hadn't been joking when he said this "Dark Energon" thing was powerful! Megatronus banked to one side and headed into the cavern.

"This is it…" he muttered to himself, wondering how far down he would have to travel before he reached the new find.

Thankfully, it didn't take long. He had only been travelling down for a few minutes before he saw a purple glow in the distance. His scans were still picking up the energy signature and as he got closer, the scans grew wilder as they struggled to calculate just how much energy there was. Megatronus transformed and the Prime was met with a sight that he couldn't ever forget. This was a sight he was sure nobody could forget if they could see it now. There it was, in huge clusters all around the cavern as Quintis had said…the Dark Energon. It was indeed a strange sight to see Energon clusters, only in purple instead of blue. It was like looking at giant chunks of amethyst than Energon, only these clusters glowed brightly and looked more sinister than beautiful. They also seemed to pulsate with a life of their own, the glows alternating between bright and dark and a strange mist surrounding the clusters. It was truly a beautiful, yet horrifying sight both at the same time. And Quintis had said that this Energon could make somebody really powerful! Megatronus could tell he wasn't exaggerating. He could practically FEEL the power these clusters contained just by looking at them!

"So this is it…the Dark Energon Quintis discovered…" he purred darkly, "I almost feel sorry for him that he wants to leave all of this to go to waste. How could he be so short-sighted as to just leave all of this here and not use it? I'm going to rectify his mistake…"

He approached one of the clusters and placed a hand on it. The Dark Energon felt cold, almost like touching a block of ice. There was no warmth in the clusters, not even in the very light they gave out. He could feel the energy these things contained crackle around his hand. What a sensation this was! He could feel his circuits buzzing with excitement.

"Quintis may have said that this blew apart the Mini-Con he tested…however, I am not a Mini-Con." he crowed, "I am a Prime! I'll be able to control this energy and show the Primes what fools they were! And maybe I'll even get Solus Prime to be mine too…"

He grinned wickedly at such a thought. Not only would Cybertron be his to rule, but Solus Prime would be his to dominate. She had rejected his feelings for her, and now she would come to regret those rejections! Megatronus tore off a chunk of the Dark Energon cluster, still feeling the energy in his hands, and opened up his chest area. It would be like slipping in a new battery to him. How much power would he have? Keen to find out, he shoved the Energon shard into his chest and closed it up to keep it in. For a moment, he remained still and didn't move. Then he began to shake crazily, looking as if he was having a malfunction. He began to yell, roaring at the top of his voice as he shook. He threw his arms out, screaming as the Dark Energon soared through his circuits. He could feel his own Energon changing, corrupted by the lethal substance. His own optics turned purple and purple flames began to surround him. He looked like he had just been possessed by some demonic entity.

Megatronus soon stopped screaming and began to cackle maniacally. He no longer felt any pain from the Dark Energon. Instead, he felt completely at ease with it, as if he'd accepted the substance. Or maybe it was the substance that had accepted him. He could feel the power flowing through his circuits. He felt like a completely new Cybertronian. The Dark Energon had clearly transformed him, albeit not in the traditional sense of the word. The flames still surrounded him, but they didn't seem to be burning him. Rather, they seemed to be a part of him. As Megatronus laughed, the flames danced around as if laughing with him.

"The power…so…much…POWER!" he roared, "Yes…ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! I CAN FEEL IT!"

All the clusters in the cavern seemed to glow even brighter than they already did as he threw his arms up in triumph. It was like they were sharing his emotions, as if Megatronus was connected to the substance in some way. Megatronus clenched his fists, excitement surging through his body.

"Now I can make Cybertron mine! I am the most powerful Prime there has ever been! I am even the most powerful Cybertronian there has ever been! I shall be its one true ruler, I shall make it a better world and I WILL VANQUISH ANYONE WHO DARES TO RESIST ME! CYBERTRON! IS! **MIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!** "

He continued to laugh, his laugh a thunderous roar of a laugh that made the cavern shudder and the Dark Energon pulsate wildly. Unknown to the powered up Prime, the whole scene had been witnessed and now the one who had secretly watched everything was fleeing the cavern and flying back to Cybertron. Soundwave hadn't had a hard time finding Megatronus, picking up the Dark Energon energy signature and finding it here along with the Prime. Despite showing no emotion, he had been quite disturbed by what he'd seen and was already sending a message to Megatron. He slipped away, completely unnoticed by the Dark Energon-fuelled Prime in the cavern…

* * *

Back on Cybertron, the Kaon Gladiator was receiving Soundwave's message, which was a playback of the recording that Soundwave had taken of the entire scene he'd witnessed. All Megatron heard was Megatronus declaring his intentions for the planet and vowing to destroy anyone who resisted him. He was horrified to hear this. His own idol was now threatening to take over the planet?! He hadn't looked up to Megatronus for this! He nodded and ordered Soundwave to meet up with him so that he could give him the full story when he got back. He turned to Starscream and Shockwave, his face grave.

"Megatron? What is it?" Starscream asked.

"It would appear we've been betrayed…by one of the Primes!" Megatron announced, "Once Soundwave returns, we must go to the council and warn them immediately! Cybertron's fate depends on them now!"

* * *

Over in Iacon, Orion Pax and Arcee had arrived at the Hall of Records and were already getting to work. They had been rather surprised to arrive at the place only to see that nobody else was here. It wasn't like Alpha Trion to be late, especially since he was the one ALWAYS lecturing people on being late! It was possible that Alpha was here but in a different room so Orion and Arcee didn't let it worry them as they started their job. Arcee had gathered up a bunch of data boxes that had been left on a table and was sorting them out to see where they fitted alphabetically. She showed the pile to Orion.

"Orion, where do you think these are meant to go?" she asked.

Orion picked one of the data boxes up and studied it for a moment.

"These are from the Astrology section." he said, "All information on planets and star systems beyond our own are in these files."

"Astrology section, got it." Arcee said, picking the boxes up so she could stash them away, "And don't worry, I've remembered what you taught me. Everything ALWAYS has to be in alphabetical order."

Orion half-smiled at the remark.

"If there's anything Alpha Trion hates more than lateness, its files in the wrong order and in the wrong sections." he chuckled.

Arcee took the files over to the Astrology section, which was labelled with the word "Astrology" written in Cybertronian as was every other aisle in the library. Scanning the shelves carefully to make sure which file went where, she began to slot them back into their normal places.

"Speaking of Trion, where is he?" the fem-bot asked, sounding a little concerned.

"I was wondering the same thing Arcee." Orion murmured, picking up a data box to see which aisle it went in, "We've been here for half an hour now and seen no sign of him."

"Ironic coming from the guy who hates lateness." Arcee scoffed, slotting another data box onto an empty shelf.

"I guess his meeting with the Primes went on a little longer than anticipated." the librarian shrugged, "I could always call him to see where he is."

"Do you ever wonder what the Thirteen talk about in these meetings?" the library assistant inquired.

"It's not my place to pry, but I like to imagine they talk about what would be for the good of our world." Orion said thoughtfully, "And to think if Sentinel's faith in me pays off, there could be a time where I could be in the Palace of Primes and talking with them as a member of the Primes…" he added, his mind wandering.

"I think you'd be a good Prime." Arcee said kindly, "You've proven you have the traits and skills necessary to become one. I'd love it if they accepted you as one of them."

"I appreciate your kind words Arcee, though I still doubt I could ever become one of them, no matter what Sentinel may think of me…" Orion said grimly, his mind still clouded with doubts.

He walked over to a shelf in the War History aisle and put away the data box he'd picked up. Arcee looked at him, feeling a little sad to hear her mentor think so little of himself. How could he be such a noble person but have such a low opinion about himself? Maybe he was just too humble and modest for his own good. Arcee was sure that one day, he'd realize his true potential and not think so slowly of himself. She believed he had potential for greatness, hopefully he'd realize it too.

She was shaken out of her thoughts as the very Prime they had wondered the whereabouts of entered the building. Alpha Trion looked as formal and dignified as ever, striding in as if he was entering somewhere important. But Arcee could just see it in his optics, something that was never usually there. Was it her imagination or did Alpha Trion look…worried? Orion turned around and visibly smiled at the sight of the Prime.

"Alpha. We were beginning to wonder where you were." he said, "How is everything?"

"You'll need to make a few changes to some of our files today Orion." Alpha explained, "The meeting has concluded with a new law that we have unanimously voted on passing through and a change in the 13 Prime's head count…mainly in the sense there are now only 12 of us in the council."

"Oh no, did one of them die?" Arcee asked worriedly.

"No my child, nothing of the sort." Alpha confirmed, "Megatronus Prime resigned the council due to…disagreements with the new law we've decided to implement."

"Megatronus has resigned?" Orion said, sounding alarmed to hear this.

"Puh, good riddance. I never liked him." Arcee muttered, "I think the council will be better without him."

"And what is this new law the Primes have implemented that made him resign?" the librarian asked.

"We are now forbidding anybody to set foot on Unicron again." the historian explained, "Quintis Prime discovered a dangerous substance on the moon that could be catastrophic to our lives should anybody try to meddle with it. To keep us all safe, we are going to prevent anybody from travelling to Unicron. Better to leave his Dark Energon untouched."

Orion nodded, taking all of this in with surprise. He hadn't expected anything like this to happen. A whole new law preventing travels to the Unicron moon! Whatever next?

"But we saw a rocket take off earlier." Arcee noted, "I guess somebody didn't get the message…unless it wasn't heading for Unicron."

"We'll have to look into that rocket's history and see if we can find out where it is headed." Alpha declared, "If it is heading to Unicron, we'll have to inform the pilot that we are prohibiting any visits to that moon. I pray to the AllSpark that it isn't Megatronus rebelling against us as I fear he may attempt…"

He was quickly interrupted by the sound of static buzzing and crackling as one of the computer monitors suddenly leapt into life. These made the three Cybertronians stare incredulously. Was somebody trying to hack into the Hall of Records? They ran over to the screen to see what was going on. To their surprise, when the static cleared and the audio became less fuzzy, the face of Megatron himself appeared. This made everybody gasp in surprise.

"Megatron? What is the meaning of this?" Alpha demanded.

"I'm speaking to you directly from Kaon!" Megatron announced, "Soundwave is broadcasting this live feed to you so that I may pass on a message. It is VITAL that the Primes receive it!"

"Well I'm one of the Primes so what is it you have to tell us?" Trion asked, his curiosity piqued by Megatron's words.

"You have been betrayed!" the gladiator cried, "Soundwave spotted Megatronus Prime travelling to Unicron and using some sort of new Energon to power himself! He called it "Dark Energon". He's plotting to take over Cybertron with that power as we speak!"

And just to remove any last lingering doubts, the screen changed from Megatron's face to a video footage of Megatronus shoving the Dark Energon into his chest and laughing manically from the power boost he'd received. Soundwave's recording was so clear, both visually and audibly, that it was like they were in the cavern with Megatronus and watching the scene for themselves instead of a recording. Alpha Trion froze in horror, his optics wide and his mouth open. Arcee stumbled backwards, shell-shocked by the news and Orion Pax could only stare at the screen, glancing from that to Alpha Trion and back. It was just as Alpha had feared…and worse. Orion had no idea what the Dark Energon was but he could tell that it was deathly serious and that their world may well be in danger now Megatronus had it in his power cells. The screen changed back to Megatron, who looked concerned.

"Do you see what I mean?" he asked.

"Yes Megatron. We are indebted to you and Soundwave for spying on Megatronus and finding out what he has been doing." Alpha said slowly, "I will gather the council and whatever soldiers we can to tackle the traitor and bring an end to his anarchy."

"Me and my comrades will join in the battle your honour! We will aid you and the Primes in this mission!" Megatron declared.

"I am grateful to you for your selflessness. We'll await your arrival Megatron." Alpha concluded.

The screen flickered and Megatron's image disappeared, the screen now blank and returned to normal. Alpha Trion turned and began to walk away. He had a tense expression on his face and the way he walked made him seem like he was about ready to walk into hell itself.

"Orion, Arcee, do NOT leave this building under any circumstances." the historian ordered, "For your own safety, you must not allow yourselves to become targets for Megatronus."

"But you're allowing Megatron and his fan club fight against him so we should be allowed as well!" Arcee protested.

"They are more experienced in combat and some of Megatron's friends are able to fly. That will make them harder to hit." Alpha replied firmly, "You two would only be cannon fodder. Now you will stay put and not leave here until…"

He was cut off by a sudden explosion that tore through a nearby skyscraper and shattered all of the windows in the Hall of Records. The shockwave that followed the explosion was so immense that Alpha, Orion and Arcee were all thrown off their feet and sent sprawling. They all cried out as they hit the floor. Alpha was the first to recover, straining as he got back to his feet while Orion and Arcee remained lying down. They both looked up and saw what Alpha himself could now see. The historian stared in horror at what lay ahead. Walking through the smoke and fire of the burning building that had been destroyed…was Megatronus Prime.

His body was surrounded by purple flames, his eyes were glowing the same colour and he had a demonic expression on his face. He looked possessed, taken over by some kind of exorcism rather than powered up by a new source of Energon. He had his trademark weapon, the Requiem Blaster, in his hands. The blaster was huge with a long, round barrel and looked as if it was too big for even Megatronus to use. But he had no difficulty holding it and taking aim as he opened fire on a bunch of nearby buildings. The blaster alone was already powerful but thanks to the Dark Energon enhancement, it was even more so. Megatronus laughed crazily as his blaster exploded through the buildings and vaporized them in seconds. Walls of flames stood where they had once been, burning away at the rubble that remained of them. Many Cybertronians began to panic and scream in terror, running for their lives. Megatronus saw them and aimed his Requiem Blaster at the fleeing crowd. He fired again, the huge cannon blast obliterating anybody that was in a five mile radius. None of the fleeing Cybertronians he had shot at survived. There was nothing left of their bodies after the shot. Orion and Arcee watched with horror as the massacre began. It was a true nightmare, the very embodiment of one!

Megatronus laughed gleefully, clearly enjoying himself. So much power he now possessed, and he had it all! The flames surrounding his body danced around wildly as he laughed.

"So much power…and I'm capable of so much destruction! AH, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA! I bet NOBODY will dare challenge me, MEGATRONUS PRIME!"

"I beg to differ, fallen Prime!"

The enhanced Prime turned around to see who had said that and only just had time to register a huge metal fist coming his way before he was sent reeling aside by the punch. Alpha Trion had come at him and was already throwing punches, keen to end this battle as quickly as possible. Megatronus turned to face him, grinning like a demon. He didn't even look hurt from the punch. He didn't even have any damage from it either, not even so much as a scratch! Alpha Trion didn't let it deter him as he punched at him again. Megatronus took it, smirking as if the punch was just a harmless jab to the face, and retaliated with a punch of his own. Enhanced by Dark Energon, his single punch had been enough to nearly tear straight through Alpha Trion's stomach. Tiny shards broke away from the impact and Alpha Trion grunted as he came down heavily onto his back. He picked himself up, Megatronus staring him down and aiming his Requiem Blaster.

"Alpha Trion! Good…I was hoping to start slaughtering the Primes with you!" he crowed, "You was always the one doubting me and seeing me as unfit to be part of the council! Do you dare say I'm unfit now I am the most powerful Prime on the planet?!"

"You are unworthy of calling yourself that! You are no Prime Megatronus!" Alpha Trion declared, drawing out a huge, golden blade sword from his back and pointing it at his adversary, "You have fallen to your own dark desires and lost any right to call yourself a Prime! Megatronus Prime is no more…you are only The Fallen!"

"A Prime by any other name is a Prime regardless…" The Fallen sneered, "Come to your death Alpha Trion! It'll truly make history for my new world!"

Alpha roared savagely as he raised his sword and charged towards The Fallen with the intent to kill. He was too dangerous to be left alive so this would be a fighter to the death. The Fallen aimed his blaster and fired directly at the historian…

* * *

 _ **Megatronus Prime has become The Fallen as he has succumbed to his dark desires and now he seeks to make Cybertron his own! Can he be defeated or has the Dark Energon made him truly unstoppable...?**_


	4. Eve of War Part 3

_Eve of War Part 3: A New Prime_

If the Requiem Blaster's shot had hit Alpha Trion, he would've been dead immediately, vaporized into atoms before he could even acknowledge what had happened. It would have been quick, painless and there would be nothing left of him afterwards, not even dust. He would have ended up marked in history as the first Prime to die in the planet's history.

It was a split-second reaction that had saved him. He just managed to throw himself aside as the huge cannon blast rushed past him. It had just managed to singe the side of his legs but otherwise, Alpha Trion was unharmed. He picked himself up and jumped aside again as The Fallen fired another shot, tearing up a chunk of road where the historian had just been. There were a few gasps from on-lookers who were watching the fight, amazed that Alpha had avoided being hit by the blast. Many Iacon citizens had fled for their lives while others had remained to watch, curious to see what was going to happen next. Arcee and Orion Pax were also watching from within the Hall of Records and were relieved to see Alpha still alive and unhurt. The Fallen didn't seem too bothered that he missed.

"Run all you want! It'll only delay the inevitable you senile fool!" the Warrior of Darkness crowed.

He aimed at the Prime again and fired, forcing Alpha Trion to dodge the Requiem Blaster's blasts once again. Alpha Trion grunted, quickly seeing that this fight was getting him nowhere. How could he possibly fight against somebody who could easily vaporize him with a single shot? One wrong move and he would be history! He still had to keep The Fallen occupied so the other Primes had the time to come and aid him in this battle. He raised his sword, his optics fixed on The Fallen as he prepared for another attack. Laughing demonically, the Prime-turned-conqueror fired at him once again. Instead of jumping aside, Alpha Trion ran towards it and sprang into the air, the huge blast rushing past below him. The Fallen was so surprised that he'd managed to dodge the shot that he didn't even have time to ready himself as Alpha landed and slashed him across the face with the sword. All he did was leave a slash mark that began to leak Energon, which had turned purple thanks to the Dark Energon he had powered himself up with. The Fallen staggered and Alpha Trion slashed him again, his sword raking across The Fallen's chest and sending sparks flying. Then Alpha Trion drew his leg back and kicked him in the abdomen. The Fallen stumbled backwards but the corrupted Prime didn't fall. Orion and Arcee had watched the historian put up his best efforts and were shocked to see that he didn't seem to be doing much to him. The Fallen didn't even seem hurt from the blows he'd received. Smirking, the Warrior of Darkness drew his own arm back and slugged Alpha Trion directly in the face. The Prime let out a yell as he was taken clean off his feet and sent hurling backwards by the punch. It felt more like being hit by a train than a punch. Alpha landed on his back, grunting in pain. The Fallen laughed delightedly and put away his blaster. He would make sure Alpha was too weak to dodge his shots and then kill him.

He stampeded towards Alpha, the flames around his body flickering madly, and tackled him just as he got back to his feet. The two opponents tumbled over one another, clawing at each other as they rolled. The scuffle ended with The Fallen seizing Alpha by the arms, standing up and throwing him up into the air. In the brief moment Alpha Trion had become airborne, The Fallen drew his arm back and punched him as hard as he could. The single punch was enough to crack parts of Alpha Trion's chest armour and throw him across the battlefield, straight into another building. Alpha lay sprawled on the floor, groaning in pain. It was quite clear that the Dark Energon had made The Fallen too powerful for him. Orion and Arcee watched, horrified as The Fallen advanced on his opponent with his Requiem Blaster in hand. He aimed at Alpha, knowing that he couldn't miss this time. Alpha could barely even stand. He squeezed the trigger...and would've killed Alpha if not for a split-second intervention that sent him careening away and his blast going wild. Completely out of nowhere, a huge hammer had hit The Fallen and knocked him aside. The blast that should've finished Alpha off disappeared into the sky, doing no damage as it hit nothing.

Alpha grinned confidently for he knew exactly who's hammer it was that had hit The Fallen. He turned to see the other 11 Primes all standing together in an almost military like manner, forming a straight line and standing together. Solus Prime had her trademark Forge in her hands and she twirled it around, clearly pleased to have hit The Fallen with it. Prima also had the legendary Star Saber in his hand. The Star Saber was an enormous sword, so big that when held upright, it was almost taller than the Prime who wielded it. He was the first Cybertronian in history to ever wield the magnificent weapon. Nexus Prime was in his combined form, as usual, and Micronus Prime had attached himself to Prima so he could make at least one of the Primes even more powerful. It made sense to combine himself to the leader of the Primes to gain the advantage they needed. Orion and Arcee saw this and both of them beamed with delight. The Fallen's threat was going to be over before it could really begin now the Primes were here! Prima's optics narrowed at The Fallen and he pointed the Star Saber at him.

"We accept the fact that you resigned due to disagreements with our world views Megatronus." he muttered, "But you've deliberately disobeyed us and have powered yourself up with the Dark Energon we wanted to prevent others from using! And now you're causing huge amounts of damage, slaughtering innocents and trying to murder Alpha Trion! You have lost the right to call yourself a Prime!"

"Hardly Prima." The Fallen sneered, "With the Dark Energon in my circuits, I am more powerful than all of you! I am the most powerful Prime this world has ever seen! And after today, I will be the ONLY Prime once you're all lying scattered in pieces on the ground!"

"You are a threat to our planet and our people. We have no choice but to take you down." Prima said, his voice cold and serious. He clearly had no intention of leaving The Fallen alive.

"Primes, take the traitor down!" he bellowed, raising his sword, ready to charge into battle.

All 12 Primes charged towards The Fallen at once, their weapons ready to finish him off. The enhanced Prime cackled, not even threatened by the very idea that he was against all 12 Primes at the same time. He seemed almost amused by it. He aimed his Requiem Blaster and fired a single shot, forcing the group to break away from one another to avoid being hit. The blast hit and the force of the explosion sent the 12 Primes flying across the battlefield. Laughing delightedly, The Fallen transformed into his jet mode and rocketed towards Prime. He was the biggest threat of all 12 Primes and wanted to kill him first. He may have lost his mind thanks to the Dark Energon, but it hadn't hampered his pragmatic approach in combat. Prime stood backup, only to then cry out as The Fallen slammed straight into his back and whisked him off his feet. The nosecone of his jet mode had embedded itself in Prima's back so The Fallen was able to carry him off the ground and into the air. He even spun around, spinning Prima as well and causing him to drop the Star Saber. The treacherous Prime then turned around again and dive-bombed towards the ground with Prima still stuck to his nosecone. He transformed, throwing Prima away and straight into the ground. He hit the ground so hard that he even left a dent in it. The Fallen landed and ran towards Prima. The leader managed to get back up and he bent down to pick up the Star Saber but found himself suddenly thrown backwards as if an invisible hand had just shoved him away. The Fallen had telekinetic abilities and he loved to use them anyway he could. He picked up the Star Saber, intending to use it to cleave the Prime leader in two. The sword didn't glow upon being held, making the Warrior of Darkness raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What?! The sword resists me?!" he growled, "Impossible! I am a Prime!"

"The Star Saber obviously doesn't see you as worthy anymore." Prima sneered, "You're basically just wielding an over sized sword now Megatronus. You cannot use its full power like the rest of us can."

"Then I'll have to settle for using it to cut you in half Prima!" The Fallen roared, raising the sword and preparing to cut his opponent in two.

He didn't get the chance as both Onyx and Nexus Prime leapt on him at the same time and tackled him to the ground. The Fallen cried out, dropping the Star Saber as he was brought down. Prima snatched up the Star Saber, the blade now glowing as he touched it. The Beast-former and Combiner wrestled with The Fallen, trying to keep him down so he couldn't use his powers to fight back. The Fallen was too strong for them though, grabbing both of them by the throat and forcing them away so he could get back to his feet. The combined effort of two Primes was enough to keep him from just throwing them off, The Fallen straining as he tried to throw Onyx and Nexus away. Prima seized his chance, raising the Star Saber and slicing The Fallen across the back. The ex-Prime bellowed in pain, the first blow landed on him in the fight actually harming him. Onyx and Nexus broke free of their opponent's grip and the Combiner Prime seized the traitor by his head. Nexus looked visibly amused as he drew his arm back and threw The Fallen through the air as hard as he could. The dark warrior was thrown a considerable distance, becoming a speck in the distance as he hurled further and further away. He eventually landed, crashing down heavily onto the ground. He had landed on the outskirts of the city so he didn't do any damage to any buildings.

The Primes all gathered together, tense and quiet as they waited to see what would happen next. Had they done it? Had they taken him down and put an end to his threat? A tense minute or two passed with nothing happening. It seemed that they'd defeated him. Cybertron was safe again! But then suddenly, a flash of purple appeared in the distance and as the Primes saw it, they were quick to see that the flash was coming towards them. They immediately knew who it was and Prima raised the Star Saber, bracing himself for impact. He swung it, sending a huge energy wave hurling towards the purple flash. If the wave hit it, it would tear apart the oncoming attacker. But the approaching flash saw the wave coming and flew over it, leaving it to just sweep through the air harmlessly. It carried on coming, firing wildly at the Primes and forcing them to take cover to avoid being shot. Quintis had warned them about Dark Energon and none of them wished to find out what would happen if they were hit by it. The flash was finally close enough for the Primes to make it out more clearly, seeing that it was indeed The Fallen flying towards them in his vehicle mode. He transformed again and held out his hands, which seemed to crackle with Dark Energon. Purple electricity surrounded his hands and danced around his arms. The flames surrounding his body seemed to be burning more fiercely, their luminous glow now bright enough to make him hard to look at without wincing.

"A valiant effort, but a forlorn one!" The Fallen crowed, "As long as I have Dark Energon flowing through my body, I can never be stopped! Now, all of you shall perish BY THE VERY HAND OF THE FALLEN!"

He threw his hands aside, unleashing waves of purple electricity in every direction. It was like watching an explosion, only instead of smoke and flames, it was electricity. All 12 Primes were stricken by the electrical attacks, although Sentinel Prime held up his shield so that he managed to protect himself from the worst of the attack. The Primes grunted, not too badly effected by the Dark Energon but still in pain from the shocks. If they had all been ordinary Cybertronians, the effects would have been much worse. The Fallen grinned with sadistic glee as the Primes knelt down, grunting in pain. Electricity crackled briefly as they tried to stand up again. The Fallen laughed.

"You see Primes, I now have all of you down on your knees and at MY mercy!" the fallen Prime sneered, "And you wanted to keep Dark Energon AWAY from us all? You're all fools not to realize the potential of what you have! That is why I am victorious and you are all scrap!"

"It is always foolish to claim victory before you've actually won." Sentinel muttered, lowering his shield.

Due to having defended himself with it earlier, he was quicker to recover from the Dark Energon strike than the others. And so, he was the first to leap into battle again, charging towards The Fallen with his double-bladed sword in hand, ready to strike. He held it up high and threw it like a javelin, the sword hurling through the air and landing straight into the enemy's shoulder. The Fallen cried out in anguish, more surprised than hurt for he hadn't expected anything like that to happen. Sentinel pounced on The Fallen, grabbing him by the shoulder and walloping him repeatedly in the face with his shield. He then yanked his sword of of his opponent's shoulder and plunged it straight into his abdomen. Not even the Dark Energon enhancement could protect him from such a blow. Growling savagely, The Fallen grabbed hold of Sentinel's arm and pulled the sword out as he yanked it away. He then slammed his forearm into the Prime's chest and raked it across, tearing large gashes across his chest-plate as he did so. He and Sentinel then grabbed hold of each other's wrists and pushed down on each other. Sentinel wrestled back, trying to stab his opponent again but The Fallen was stronger than he was thanks to his enhancement. Instead, the wise old Prime opted to fight smart by driving his knee straight up into The Fallen's pelvis area. Kicking a robot in the groin wasn't as effective as it is on a human being, but it still got the job done. The Fallen cried out and loosened his grip, allowing Sentinel to plunge his sword into him again and rip off pieces of his armour.

The Fallen roared angrily and backhanded Sentinel across the face, leaving a dent in his cheek from the impact. He had been hit so hard that Sentinel actually collapsed onto his side. The Fallen lashed out with his clawed hand, intending to gut Sentinel, but the Prime raised his shield to block the blow at the last minute. He was surprised to see the tips of his opponent's claws actually penetrate through the shield as if it were tin-foil. The Fallen pulled back on his hand, trying to wrench it free but his claws had embedded quite deeply so he couldn't pull them straight out. Smirking, Sentinel got back to his feet with his shield still in hand and he pulled back on it, pulling The Fallen towards him. As soon as he came close, Sentinel raised his arm and punched directly in the centre of The Fallen's face, the blow strong enough to wrench him free from his shield and throw him back. The Fallen stumbled back but he recovered and was about to strike back but Solus Prime managed to sneak up behind him and swing her Forge upwards, walloping the treacherous Prime with such force that he took off and was sent hurling helplessly through the air. He came down heavily, leaving a large crater where he had landed. The Prime fem-bot smirked, twirling her hammer around as if pleased with what she'd done.

"That felt good...REALLY good!" she crowed, "I've been wanting to hit that slagger for a LOOOOOOONG time! Now to finish this..."

She and Sentinel both ran towards The Fallen together, intending to tackle him both at once and bring an end to the fight. The Fallen picked himself up, seeing his oncoming opponents and he reacted quickly. He thrust his arms forward and hit the two Primes with another volley of electricity, striking them both and knocking them off their feet. As Sentinel and Solus lay writhing on the ground, Onyx and Nexus Prime came running towards The Fallen to try and bring him down themselves. They were stopped dead in their tracks by the enhanced Cybertronian as The Fallen held out his hands and picked them up with a telekinetic grip. The combiner and beast-former were completely helpless as they were lifted up by their opponent's telekinetic abilities. Onyx and Nexus flailed about helplessly as they were picked up, trying to break free of The Fallen's telekinetic hold. They couldn't do anything and they cried out as the traitor thrust his arms forward, sending them flying through the air like a pair of rag-dolls. They crashed down onto the ground a long distance away, so long in fact that nobody even heard them crash. The Fallen cackled again, pleased with how everything was going, and he turned around just in time to see Vector Prime coming towards him with his trademark Blades of Time in his hands. He wasn't fast enough to react for Vector was coming in too quickly and he was knocked down as the Time Master rammed into him, hitting him with the force of a charging elephant.

The moment The Fallen had been brought down, Vector raised his blades and stabbed down onto The Fallen's shoulders with them. The Fallen bellowed in pain and grabbed hold of Vector's arms to try and push him away. The Time Master grunted as he fought back, pushing down with his arms to keep his enemy pained. But then he found himself getting brutally electrocuted by the dark warrior as he let loose another volley of Dark Energon electrocutions. Vector fell limp, allowing The Fallen to just push him away and get back onto his feet. He pulled the Blades of Time out of his shoulders and spun around just as Amalgamous, Quintis and Leige came running towards him. He threw the blades, hitting both Quintis and Leige square in the middle of their chests. Luckily for them, the blades didn't go in far enough to kill them, just injure them and bring them down momentarily. Amalgamous was still incoming, transforming into a jet and boosting towards him at top speed. As the first Transformer, he was able to convert into anything he could think of, which made him an unpredictable opponent. The Fallen expected Amalgamous to just charge into him, a popular tactic of jet-formers. But as he fired another volley of purple electricity, Amalgamous instead transformed into a Cypertronian vehicle that resembled a dragster race car and sped on across the road, so the attack completely missed him. The Fallen aimed another attack but wasn't fast enough as Amalgamous rocketed into him, taking his feet out from underneath him and bringing him crashing down heavily onto the ground. Laughing with triumph, Amalgamous then transformed into a four-legged cannon and blasted The Fallen in the back as the Prime-turned-conqueror stood up again. While not as powerful as the Warrior of Darkness's Requiem Blaster, Amalgamous still packed a lot of firepower.

The Fallen was thrown across the terrain by the blast, pieces of armour falling away from his back. He crashed down, grunting in pain. He didn't get time to get up as Prima suddenly ran towards him and swung the Star Saber upwards at him. The huge sword left a clean slice starting upwards on The Fallen's face. It spread from his chin to his forehead. As the treacherous Prime was airborne, Prima swung the Star Saber and struck him with another energy wave. The Fallen was thrown through the air by the wave, spiraling crazily as he plummeted down to earth. He crashed into a building, tearing through one of the walls upon impact. Arcee punched the air with triumph while Orion watched with delight, glad to see that the Primes were winning. The Fallen stood up and walked back outside the building, growling angrily. He could feel the rage burning through him and the flames surrounding his body flickered crazily. It was like the flames were reacting to his emotions. He could see Prima approaching him, clearly ready to cut him down once again with his famous sword. He wouldn't let this arrogant fool defeat him, not when he had the power to take all 12 Primes down! Electricity crackled through his hands once more as he prepared to launch another onslaught.

"Why persist in your delusional goals of grandeur?" Prima demanded, "You're just throwing your life away recklessly Megatronus! Cease your meaningless ambitions and come back to the Primes!"

"I'll come back Prima, when you're all lying in pieces on the ground and I'm the only Prime left to rule this planet!" The Fallen snarled, "Your time is at an end! The Age of Megatronus is at its dawn and I won't rest until it comes to fruition!"

He was about to attack his opponent and bring him down with a crackle of Dark Energon electricity. Prima had braced himself, already expecting what was going to happen. But then suddenly, The Fallen was bombarded by a volley of plasma blasts and missiles that launched from the sky and rained down on him. He was so surprised at the onslaught that he didn't even cry out. He just fell down onto his knees and grunted as he fought off the pain of the bombardment. Prima looked up, pleased to see that the cavalry had arrived. Alpha Trion also saw this and knew exactly what had happened. Megatron and his three friends had finally arrived, just as they said they would. Soundwave and Starscream were flying side-by-side, launching missiles at The Fallen while Shockwave hovered above the road, aiming his tank turret and firing. Megatron was leading the attack, firing his fusion cannon at the enemy. Once the four had approached Prima, they all transformed into their robot modes and stood in a line together, ready to continue fighting. Orion and Arcee watched this, glad to see that more help had arrived.

"About time your boyfriend decided to show up Orion." Arcee said dryly.

Orion sighed but said nothing. He knew Arcee was only joking. Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave stood by Prima, watching The Fallen as he strained to get up. The leader of the Primes didn't look particularly pleased to see them but decided not to be ungrateful about it. Any help was welcome after all, even if it was from an undesirable crowd.

"Good of you to join us gladiator." he said, "The Primes maybe strong but we're not adverse to outside help."

"The pleasure is all mine Prima." Megatron purred, "I was the one who warned you about Megatronus's betrayal so it makes sense that I should help bring him down! I've always wondered what it would be like to face a Prime..." he admitted, unsheathing his sword and preparing to attack his former idol.

"Starscream, Soundwave, it is most logical for you two to stay in the air." Shockwave ordered, "You'll be harder to hit when you're airborne. Me and Megatron will attack on the ground."

"A sound plan as ever Shockwave." Starscream sneered, "For the glory of Cybertron, we will destroy the traitor to the Primes!"

With that said, he and Soundwave quickly transformed back into their vehicle modes and took off while Megatron and Shockwave prepared to fight The Fallen. The enhanced Prime picked himself up, glaring at Megatron as if he couldn't believe that he of all Cybertronians was actually joining the rebellion. He was all too aware of the gladiator's worshipping of him and how he had even named himself after him.

"Megatron! You dare resist your idol? You DARE to fight against me?! WHY?! YOU WORSHIP ME!" The Fallen bellowed angrily.

"Indeed...but I do not follow those who wish to subjugate my world for their own benefits." Megatron growled, his voice colder than an Arctic wind, "A wise man once said that you should be careful who you idolize. I never thought that would end up being true..."

He then roared a thunderous battle cry of ferocity as he charged towards The Fallen, his sword raised and ready to attack. The Fallen held up a hand and stopped him dead in his tracks with a psychic hold. Megatron tried to move but his body wouldn't obey him. It was as if his opponent had performed a magic trick and commanded his body to just stop, just like that. Shockwave was quick to react, firing a plasma blast straight at his enemy. The Fallen smirked and moved Megatron in front of the blast, leaving him to get blasted by the shot instead. Megatron roared in anguish, the plasma blast having scorched his back and torn out a small piece of armour. The Fallen then threw Megatron into Shockwave, sending the two sprawling as they landed on each other. Starscream and Soundwave flew towards the treacherous Prime and unleashed a volley of missiles in his direction. There was enough firepower here to fell a skyscraper and The Fallen knew this. So instead of dodging, he just held out his hand and stopped the missiles from hitting him with yet another psychic grasp. He then turned the missiles around and began throwing them in random directions, sending them towards the Primes and Megatron's team. The whole battlefield became a chaotic scene of bodies diving out of the way and explosions punching their way through whatever the missiles hit. It was quite a sight, not that anybody could really see it due to the numerous explosions that were happening.

Orion and Arcee shielded their optics, unable to watch on, and they didn't look again until all the missiles had finally exploded and the explosions had died down. All 12 Primes plus Megatron's team were sprawled everywhere, groaning and grunting from the mayhem that had just occurred. Many had been injured by the multitude of explosions while others had been injured by falling debris. The two couldn't believe what they were seeing. So many people fighting ONE opponent and yet the one opponent was winning! Cybertron was doomed to be under The Fallen's control unless they did something about it!

"I can't believe it, the Primes are getting scrapped out there!" Arcee exclaimed.

"And Megatron's back-up has ended up causing more trouble instead of helping..." Orion muttered, "I know Alpha Trion ordered us to stay. But I cannot stand idly by while the threat of subjugation is upon us. I will not allow Cybertron to be oppressed. Sentinel believes that I have potential to be a Prime and trained me accordingly. I think it is time I finally put that training to good use..."

He looked at Arcee, expecting her to say something. In the stories he'd read, it was common for the hero's friend to say something cliched like "Don't go, it's too dangerous!" or "No you can't go, you'll die!". But to his amazement...Arcee didn't say anything of the sort! Instead, she replied with:

"I'll go with you. I'm not gonna let you take on that freak alone."

Despite his surprise, Orion should've expected Arcee to want to come. He knew all to well just how brave she was. This was after all, the rookie that nearly dethroned Megatron as gladiator champion. Her bravery was even something he admired about her and he was glad to see Arcee displaying it even despite what The Fallen was capable of. But he feared for her life and began to feel unsure about letting her accompany him.

"Are you sure about this Arcee?" Orion asked with concern, "I couldn't possibly ask of you to risk your life for me. I'd never myself above any others."

"You nursed me back to health along with Ratchet, you took me in when nobody else would. I have every reason to fight alongside you Orion." Arcee insisted, "That and I did take on Megatron himself and nearly win. I think I'll manage out there."

"But this isn't Megatron you're fighting, this is Megatronus, one of the Thirteen!" Orion exclaimed, "He is more powerful than Megatron ever will be and the Dark Energon enhancement has only made him more powerful. If you fight him, he could potentially blow you to pieces!"

"The same could be said to you." Arcee retorted, "Like it or not, I'm coming with you. If I die, I'll die fighting to protect our people! It'd be an honour to fight with you Orion."

The librarian decided he wouldn't prolong this argument any longer. What was the point when Arcee clearly wasn't going to budge? He also couldn't help but feel touched by his assistant's eagerness to help. It had been a long time since anybody had willingly wanted to sacrifice themselves for his sake. He hadn't had a friend this loyal since Ratchet. Nodding understandingly, Orion drew out his sword.

"Then let us end the oppression and save our world..." he said, his voice heavy and cryptic. It was like he was trying to make these words sound like the ideal final words that he would later be remembered for.

He charged out of the Hall of Records towards The Fallen with Arcee following closely behind. As they ran, they failed to notice that they were being watched. The bizarre sight of seeing the two librarians running into battle was witnessed by many of the citizens of Iacon that had gathered to watch the battle against The Fallen. One of them was Ratchet. His optics were open so wide that they nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Look! Out there!" he cried, "Orion Pax and Arcee are joining in the fight!"

"Are they crazy?! They're gonna get scrapped out there!" cried one Cybertronian, "What can they do? They're librarians!"

"Arcee is a gladiator runner-up who nearly defeated Megatron." Ratchet reminded, "And Orion Pax has been receiving training from Sentinel Prime himself. I don't think they're as crazy as you think they are."

"Well if a pair of librarians are willin' ta fight fo our planet, then ah think we should to!" barked a Southern-accented robot with black and red colours and a cannon on each arm, "Ah ain't gonna sit by and watch Megatronus try and kill everybody!"

"I think I share your sentiments Ironhide." Ratchet said approvingly, "Who else is willing to fight for our freedoms?" he asked, addressing the whole crowd.

There were many Cybertronians who weren't so eager to rush into battle. But there were at least a few hands that raised up. Most of them were members of the Elite Guard like Ultra Magnus or police officers like Prowl and Strongarm. A trio of racing stars who were a trinity of friends were also among the volunteers. A black and yellow robot who was small compared to other Cybertronians, a blue robot with electrical whips and a silver robot with the number 4 on his shoulders and a visor in place of optics were that trio.

"I maybe a racer, but I'm still willing to stand up for our people!" cried the black and yellow bot, "Me and my friends!"

"I'm in too." boomed a huge, bulky Cybertronian who had deployed a pair of maces from his hands, "Time I wrecked that guy for trying to conquer us!"

"I'm in! If it's a battle, I wanna be part of it! BOOM!" bellowed a red Cybertronian who had a cannon in his chest and a rather loud voice.

"Anyone who wishes to fight, come with us now!" Ratchet ordered, "Together, we'll be able to put an end to this threat!"

He then transformed into his vehicle mode, a Cybertronian ambulance, and charged off towards the battle. Ironhide was already beside him, zooming off in his pick-up truck mode to lay some heat on The Fallen. All volunteers, including Ultra Magnus, Strongarm, Prowl, Bumblebee, Jazz, Jolt, Bulkhead and Warpath, followed the duo in their vehicle modes too. Over to The Fallen, he was now fighting against Megatron. Surprisingly enough, he had been the first to recover from the chaos that had happened earlier. The Primes, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave had been slower to recover, the Primes in particular being the slowest to regain strength. Their injuries, plus the exposure to the Dark Energon that The Fallen attacked them with, had weakened them considerably. Quintis had mentioned how his students grew weak when exposed to it for too long. Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave hadn't been exposed to the Dark Energon yet, which is why they had recovered quicker than The Primes. Megatron's sword raked across The Fallen's chest as he tried to cleave him open. He wanted to end the fight quickly and thought that cutting his opponent open and ripping out his spark would do the trick. But The Fallen's chest armour was tough and wouldn't cut open easily. The enhanced Prime growled and kicked Megatron in the abdomen. Megatron shot backwards but amazingly, he still managed to stay standing.

The gladiator then aimed his Fusion Cannon and blasted The Fallen directly in the face. It didn't do much to the Prime, but it distracted him long enough for Megatron to charge into him and knock him off his feet. The Fallen tumbled and before he could stand up again, Megatron began wildly slashing away at his chest to try and carve it open. The dark warrior sneered, taunting Megatron for his pitiful efforts, before blowing him away with a surge of electricity. While Megatron was thrown away by the attack and sent sprawling, much to The Fallen's surprise...he stood up again and smirked as if nothing had happened! His optics widened incredulously. How was this possible?! He wasn't even a Prime! The Dark Energon should be enough to short-circuit him and fry his innards! He tried to electrocute Megatron again but the purple electricity had no effect on him. Megatron even seemed amused at the fact he was trying to electrocute him.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha...that tickles." he sneered, "Your precious Dark Energon isn't as effective as you thought!"

"This is impossible! How are you immune to its effects?!" the traitor growled, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I am a champion from the Pits of Kaon! I am the undefeated warrior that claims victory no matter the opposition! Your Dark Energon cannot overpower me!" Megatron crowed, "I am not weak like the lowly people of Iacon, nor am I weak like those who call themselves the Primes! I am more powerful than all of them! I. AM. MEGATROOOOOOOOOON!"

With his claims hanging in the air, Megatron stampeded towards The Fallen with his Fusion Cannon aimed and firing away wildly at his opponent. The Fallen took the shots with no problem and charged towards the gladiator. The two exchanged blows, clawing at each other and throwing punches. But the fight didn't last long for The Fallen suddenly used his telekinesis to grab Megatron and pick him up off the ground. The champion squirmed, trying to break free. With his opponent subdued, The Fallen decided to try something else. With Megatron's immunity to the Dark Energon evident, he thought it would be a waste to just kill him now. His face broke into a smile, but this one looked more friendly and warm than demonic and evil.

"We needn't be enemies my friend." he purred, "The fact you once looked up to me is already a sign that you must support me in some capacity. I know why you take part in those tournaments. You're a gladiator trying to prove himself worthy of becoming a Prime. You have a noble goal...and that is why I ask for you to join me. Join me now Megatron, help me reshape this tainted world into a utopia that will see me as its ruler, join me in quelling the resistance...and you will become a Prime. I have the power to make you one. When you become a Prime like me, you will never be challenged again! Think of the glory that will come to you Megatron! You can have whatever you want...and all you have to do is accept my offer."

Megatron had been ready to tell The Fallen to scrap himself but upon hearing his words, he now found himself unsure on what to say. He had liked the sound of what The Fallen had promised him. He would make him a Prime! That was his dream and he could achieve it if he joined him! But how did he know that this wasn't a trick? What if The Fallen was trying to goad him to his side? He soon had something else to think about for something leapt out of nowhere and dropkicked the nefarious dictator in the head. All 12 Primes gasped in surprise at what they saw, but nobody looked more surprised, yet proud to see this, than Sentinel Prime. The Fallen stumbled and clutched his head, wondering what had hit him. He didn't get time to find out for a huge orange blue flashed in his field of vision and he was left reeling back by what had hit him. Energon, tainted purple of course, trickled out of the fresh cut that had been drawn across his face. He was still stunned as the orange flash appeared again and he was once again searing with pain as a large gash had been cut into him. And then to finish off, his mystery attacker roundhouse kicked him and sent him hurling across the battlefield. The Primes had watched this with disbelief, unable to believe this surprise attacker had managed to pull that off so well. The Fallen picked himself up and finally managed to get a look at who his new opponent was. Orion Pax stood before him, sword in hand and his face a mask of determination. Arcee stood beside him, aiming her crossbow at The Fallen. Megatron ran over to his friend, perplexed but grateful to see him. The Fallen stared at his combatant with confusion.

"Who in the name of Unicron are YOU?!" he demanded.

"I am Orion Pax, librarian at the Hall of Records and student of Sentinel Prime." the red-and-blue Transformer declared, "I stand before you to help my friends vanquish your threat to the world Megatronus."

"Orion Pax? The librarian?! HE of all people dares to stand against me?! ME?!" The Fallen jeered, feeling that this whole scene was a huge joke to him, "I'd say your training has been filling his head with too many ideas Sentinel! This bookworm actually thinks he's worthy of challenging a Prime! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

"It is never wise to underestimate your opponents fallen Prime." Sentinel retorted cryptically, "You of all people should know that."

"That maybe, but your student is full of delusions of grandeur!" The Fallen cried dismissively, "None of you are a match for me so what in Primus's name makes you think he has a chance?"

"Because I'm not fighting alone." Orion said bluntly.

True to his word, Arcee began to shoot at the corrupted Prime with her crossbow while Megatron fired his Fusion Cannon. Orion joined in with the shooting by putting his sword away and deploying his own arm-cannons. The volley of shots hammered into The Fallen, making him growl angrily as he was blasted. To add further insult to injury, Shockwave, Starscream and Soundwave joined in too by firing at him as much as they could. The Fallen was bombarded by lasers, plasma blasts and missiles, the heavy onslaughts making him roar in agony. His body was enough to withstand the hail-fire of shots for now, but it wouldn't hold out forever. He transformed into his jet-mode to try and fly away so he could launch an aerial attack but as he tried to flee, Orion suddenly leapt up and grabbed hold of him. He was whisked off his feet as The Fallen carried him into the sky. Arcee cried out for her mentor, worried on what was going to happen to him. The transformed Prime tried to shake the librarian off himself, banking sharply left and right to throw him off. But amazingly enough, the librarian managed to hold on. His hands were like an iron vice, making him impossible to shake loose. His grip tightening, Orion pulled himself up on top of the Cybertronian jet and deployed one of his arm-cannons. He shot several times, his shots not doing much damage but enough to shake The Fallen off and make him lose his concentration. He began to dive down, unable to keep flying anymore. Orion leapt off, firing one last shot at The Fallen and hitting him in the jet engine, destroying it and sending him spiraling down to the ground. He transformed before he hit the ground, crashing down heavily. Orion was falling down to the ground, but he was quickly saved by the timely arrival of Megatron, who was in his jet mode and flying towards him. Orion landed on top of his friend, holding on tight as the gladiator lowered him down to the ground.

The Fallen lay in a huge crater he had punched into the ground as a result of his crash-land. He groaned, clutching his head as he climbed back to his feet. He couldn't believe this. He had just been brought down by a bookworm! How was this even happening?! He growled angrily as Orion leapt off of Megatron and ran towards him. He had his sword out once again, the blade seeming to glow, and he raised it above his head to prepare for a clean slice. Megatron was running behind him, his own sword deployed. The Fallen raised both hands and fired a volley of electrical shocks at the librarian. Orion cried out as he was hit squarely in the centre of his torso, flying backwards and landing on his back. Megatron lashed out at The Fallen with his sword and came very close to cutting the enhanced Prime's arm off. He only managed to scratch it as The Fallen moved to avoid getting his arm severed. Megatron swiped at him again, only for The Fallen to block his attack and then slug him in the abdomen. Orion Pax picked himself up and ran in to help his friend but the red-and-blue bot was brought back down again by Megatron as he was flung through the air and straight into him by The Fallen. As soon as the two friends had been brought down, Arcee jumped into the fray by shooting at The Fallen with her crossbow. Her shots did no damage, but luckily for her, she wasn't alone for long. Shockwave aimed his arm cannon and fired a huge plasma blast at The Fallen. The corrupted Prime cried out as the blast hit him in the side of his face. He stumbled, and found himself reeling once again as something backhanded him across the face.

The Fallen recovered just quick enough to see that Soundwave was now the one attacking him before he was hit yet again by another swipe of the sound engineer's hand. The Fallen swiped at Soundwave, missing as the slender robot bent over backwards, and grunted as Soundwave retaliated with an electric shock from his tentacles. While he was being electrocuted, Shockwave, Starscream and Arcee all took advantage of this by rushing in together to attack their enemy. The Fallen found himself receiving a volley of kicks, punches and scratches from his opponents, unable to fight back. Then the three Cybertronians parted ways, leaving The Fallen open for attack from Orion and Megatron. Both had recovered and were charging towards the would-be-world-conqueror with their hands drawn back. The duo both punched at the same time, a pair of powerful fists slamming directly into The Fallen's face. The dark warrior cried out in pain and fell down onto his back. The 12 Primes had watched the whole scene with amazement and fascination. It was clear to them that the populace of Cybertron was a lot hardier and braver than they thought. Both Alpha and Sentinel were watching Orion Pax with awe in their optics. He was truly living up to their expectations. The Fallen stood up again, the flames around his body now blazing even more fiercely than ever as rage took over. He was NOT going to lose, not when he had the power to conquer the planet! The Primes, Orion, Megatron and their comrades were all coming towards him, ready to finish him off. He thrust his arms out, bellowing at the top of his voice.

 **"ENOUGH!"**

And just like that, everybody was brought to a complete stop as his telekinesis grabbed hold of them and picked them up off the ground. Nobody was able to move, not even Prima. The Fallen sneered, feeling confident in himself once more. There was no way he could lose now. Laughing triumphantly, he drew out his Requiem Blaster while using his other hand to keep everybody immobilized.

"You all proved your worth today. You've given me a good fight, even you Orion Pax." he purred, his voice full of mockery despite his complimentary dialogue, "I admire your bravery and your strength. But it wasn't enough. Megatron, I'll spare you so you can reconsider my deal." he said, glancing at Megatron, "But the rest of you...you're all sentenced to death for treason against your new ruler! And I'll start with the little bookworm who was deluded enough to believe himself a hero!"

He laughed a cruel, sadistic laugh as he aimed the Requiem Blaster at Orion Pax. The librarian squirmed, trying to break free of The Fallen's telekinetic hold. The enhanced Prime's weapon would completely obliterate him, the size of the shot possibly also destroying anybody close to him. His attempts were futile. He couldn't break free. The Fallen's finger tightened on the trigger, his trademark weapon pointed directly at Orion. He couldn't miss, not when Orion couldn't move. Victory was in his grasp at last...

And then suddenly, he let out a cry of both surprise and pain as a hail of laser fire suddenly pounded into him, causing him to lose his concentration and drop his victims, as well as his Requiem Blaster. Everybody looked around in surprise. Who was shooting at him now? Orion looked to one side and saw a sight he would never forget. A crowd of Cybertronians were all together in a single line and shooting at The Fallen. He was even surprised to see Ratchet among them. There were police officers, Elite Guards and various others in the crowd, all shooting at The Fallen and not relenting in anyway. Ratchet was clearly leading the resistance for he was barking orders.

"Fire everyone! Do not let The Fallen recover! Give it all you've got!" he bellowed.

The ones in the resistance were all willing to oblige as they kept firing their weapons. The laser shots weren't quite enough to take The Fallen out on their own, but there were a lot of lasers firing and the shots were coming in constantly with no signs of stopping. The Fallen had already been weakened by his earlier fight so the hail of laser shots were actually starting to hurt him. Chunks of armour were being blown off and The Fallen couldn't fight back. Even his enhanced powers weren't enough to fend off so many shots. In order to finish him off, Megatron and his team began to fire their own weapons with Arcee also joining in. The added firepower started causing even more damage to the enhanced Prime, tearing off more pieces of armour and even damaging his inner circuitry. The Fallen tried to fight back, electricity crackling around his hands, but he kept getting bombarded the moment he tried to unleash his attacks. Deciding to finish this once and for all, Orion ran forwards. Ratchet held up a hand, ordering a ceasefire from his resistance group. Megatron also ordered a ceasefire, his team stopping so they wouldn't hit Orion by accident. Once the shots topped, the librarian leapt towards The Fallen and dropkicked him in the face. He was in such a critical state that chunks of his own face actually broke off from the kick. He feebly swiped back at his opponent, but missed as Orion jumped back and slashed his arm with his sword. Due to how much damage he'd received, his arm ended up falling off after the attack. Sparks were dancing all over his body and there was a horrible grinding sound, as if his inner mechanism no longer functioned properly. The Fallen was quite literally clinging onto life. If he hadn't been enhanced by Dark Energon, he would be dead already. Orion then picked up The Fallen's Requiem Blaster, surprised he was even able to lift it. Sentinel's training had clearly made him stronger than he could've expected. The Fallen groaned, still refusing to give in.

"No...I cannot lose now! I am invincible!" he protested, "I am the supreme power of Cybertron! I AM MEGATRONUS! **I AM A PRIME!** "

"You are no longer deserving of that title." Orion said coldly, aiming the blaster at the traitor.

Everybody stood back as far as they felt they had to, not wanting to get caught up in the blaster fire. Orion Pax took one last look at the treacherous Prime before pulling the trigger. A single shot was fired, directly into the weakened Prime. The Fallen let out an agonized yell as he was hit by his own weapon, vaporized atom by atom by the huge blast. Even the Dark Energon in his chest stood no chance, reduced to dust as he was obliterated. His screams soon died away, his body now completely destroyed. There was nothing left of Megatronus Prime. There was only a smoldering spot on the ground where he had once stood. Once the blast had died away, everybody was able to look again. They saw only Orion standing there, throwing the Requiem Blaster away as if disgusted he had used it. A moment of silence befell everybody on the scene...and then a huge cheer erupted from the crowd. Delight and excitement radiated from the applause. Orion could hardly believe that he was actually the one receiving it. He never thought he would know what it felt like to receive such an applause. Maybe this was how Megatron felt whenever he won a gladiatorial match. And what a feeling it was! He was a hero! He had helped to save Cybertron! Arcee looked over at her mentor with a happy smile on her face. It was the happiest she'd ever looked in her life.

"You did it Orion." Arcee said, "You saved us all."

"I wasn't the only one who saved us all." Orion noted, "There are many heroes who have been made today." he added, motioning over to the crowd that had come in to help.

Just as he said that, Ratchet broke away from the crowd and ran over to Orion. The two embraced briefly before Ratchet spoke:

"Well done Orion Pax! Thanks to you, Cybertron will be safe again!" the medic exclaimed.

"But it was you who saved me and the others from being obliterated." the librarian noted, "You and the others deserve as much credit as I..."

"There's no need to be so modest Orion!" Ratchet laughed, slapping his friend on the back, "You inspired many of these people to actually take action! They saw you running in to help the Primes and wanted to fight for Cybertron too! Your bravery has inspired many today and thanks to you, we all stood up for our freedoms and destroyed Megatronus! You are the hero of this battle Orion."

The librarian was amazed to hear all of us. His determination to help was the reason Ratchet and the others had decided to fight? He, HE of all people had been an inspiration?! Orion wasn't even sure how to react. He just waved back at the crowd modestly, as if he hadn't done anything particularly amazing. To him, he had just fought for what he thought was right, nothing more. But it seemed that the Primes had other ideas. Prima approached Orion, the Star Saber still in hand, and he looked down at the red-and-blue bot. Orion turned around and looked up, surprised to actually find himself face-to-face with the most powerful Cybertronian on the planet. Was he dreaming? Was all of this just one happy dream from which he hoped he'd never wake up? Prima was looking at Orion with a face full of approval and appreciation. It had been a while since he had looked at anybody like that.

"Orion Pax. Kneel." he ordered.

Orion obeyed, getting down onto one knee. Prima held out the Star Saber, holding it just above Orion. The librarian kept his head down, knowing what was coming next. He had read about the ceremonial traditions that the Primes carried out when congratulating someone for their bravery. They even did this when declaring a new Prime. Could it be that...?

"Orion Pax. You have displayed great courage, selflessness and determination this very day." Prima announced, his grand voice audible to everybody around, "Your brave actions have inspired others to take arms in a fight to save our planet and protect our people. I cannot thank you enough for what you have done today. You have set a most optimal example for Cybertronians everywhere. You have proven that anybody, no matter who they are, can be a hero. And that heroism displayed today is what the Primes are always on the lookout for."

He then gently touched both of Orion's shoulders with the Star Saber as if he was a king knighting his fellow warrior. The crowd all gasped in amazement, feeling they knew where this was going.

"Sentinel Prime saw greatness in you. You have shown that greatness today. That is why you now become the first Cybertronian in eons to receive this most special gift." Prima continued, "Behold...the Matrix of Leadership."

He opened up his chest compartment to reveal a circular orb with a pair of handles on either side that was slotted neatly inside. He took the object out and handed it over to Orion. The librarian stared, unable to believe that he was actually looking at the Matrix of Leadership itself. He had often imagined what it looked like. Never had he thought he'd ever see it for real! He reached up and touched it. As soon as he did, he was suddenly engulfed by a bright flash of light. That wasn't all that happened. His body...began to change. It was like the Matrix was transforming him into a whole new person. His frame became broader and bulkier, his helmet grew a pair of antennae on either side. He still retained his red and blue colours but now he no longer looked like a meek librarian. Instead, he looked like a warrior that could take on the most powerful of opponents and come out on top. His new appearance was met with a chorus of impressed gasps and oohs from the audience. They had quite literally seen the most magical thing they would ever see in their lives. Prima stood back, smiling proudly at the new Orion Pax.

"Arise...Optimus Prime." he concluded, the ceremony now finished.

So that was it! Orion Pax had now become the new Prime! He was now with a new body, a new rank and a new name! Orion Pax, he no longer was. His life as Optimus Prime had now begun. He admired himself, impressed with how he looked. He even felt like a new bot, and in the best way possible. He had done it! He had become a Prime! He looked around, taking in the applause he received from the Cybertronians watching. Arcee in particular could barely stop clapping. Her eyes were even trickling with tears of lubricants.

"I couldn't be prouder of you...Optimus Prime." she said happily.

Optimus nodded, flattered by his assistant's remark. He waved to the crowd, acknowledging their support and showing his appreciation for their applause. But there were four people who weren't applauding. They weren't even in the audience anymore. They had left, dissatisfied with what had occurred. Those four were Megatron and his three friends. They had been angered by Orion's becoming a Prime. Megatron had never felt angrier. He took one last look at his friend, his blue optics full of hatred. His friend was gone. A new person stood in his place, taking his glory and the rank he deserved! Not wanting to watch anymore, Megatron and his comrades turned and walked away. Nobody even noticed as they left...

* * *

 _ **Orion Pax is no more. He is now the next Prime, the newest member of the 13! Optimus Prime is born!**_

 _ **But at what cost? What will Megatron do now? Is the friendship between them...over? Find out next time as a "Revolt" is carried out...**_


	5. Eve of War Part 4

_Eve of War Part 4: Revolt_

"A toast everyone! To the newest Prime and Cybertron's newest hero! Optimus Prime!"

"To Optimus Prime!"

There was a loud cheer and a clinking of metal as several hands holding drink canisters all proposed a toast to the librarian who had now become a Prime. The blue liquids they all contained leapt up as the canisters clinked together. After The Fallen had been destroyed, Optimus Prime had been invited by Ratchet, Ironhide and several other Cybertronians to join them in one of Iacon's local bars for a celebration get-together. The bar was known as The Circle and was run by a bartender named Blurr. Blurr was a former racing legend who had long since retired to become a bartender at The Circle. He was the one who had even opened the place and had been happy passing on racing tips (as well as drinks) to any customers who came by to drink their sorrows away or have a good time. The Circle was a very flashy place with bright neon lights and a sleek interior. There wasn't a point or sharp angle anywhere, as if every corner had been filed down to make the place look smoother and more comfortable. It was one of the most popular places in Iacon to hang about, especially for those who loved a good drink. In his past life, Optimus Prime wouldn't normally be the one to attend bars, only really coming to one when he was celebrating Megatron's victory in the Gladiator Pits. But in this case, he was happy to make an exception. He had of course, brought Arcee with him for the party. She had been happy to come and was drinking along with Optimus and his friends. There was a moment's silence as everybody sipped their drinks, all various flavours of Energon, before Ironhide spoke up.

"Just when ah think that ah've seen everything life has ta offer, ah see somethin' incredible that puts everythin' else into question!" the weapons designer barked, "A librarian becomin' a warrior! And not just that, he became a Prime too! Grind mah gears, that's the most incredible thing ah've ever seen! And ah'm the guy who sells weapons fo a livin'!"

"You know something's amazing when Ironhide of all people is impressed." Ratchet snickered, "Believe me, it takes A LOT to amaze him."

"I noticed." Arcee retorted, sipping some more Energon.

"I'll admit, while I've always been unsure about my friend becoming a Prime, I couldn't be happier to see him as one right now." the medic replied, looking over at Optimus, "And I'm sure that he'll be the perfect replacement for that vile traitor, Megatronus! Here's to our newest Prime!" he cried, raising his drink canister again.

Optimus just took all this in modestly, finding himself overwhelmed by all the support. He didn't mind the fact people were happy for him, it was just that it was beginning to get much and he needed a break from it. Did the Primes before him ever deal with such fanfare in their lives? If so, how did they cope with it? But Optimus didn't want to come off as impolite so he decided to go with it for now and stay for a while. He could at least make his friends happy by being here.

"I appreciate all your support." the new Prime said humbly, "And I hope that as the newest member of the Primes, I will bring forth the wisdom and kindness that the Primes have displayed when ruling over us all. I will try my best not to let any of you down."

"You don't need to do that Optimus. Just know that you'll never let me down." Arcee said kindly, "No matter what happens, you'll always be a Prime to me."

"Thank you Arcee." Optimus said appreciatively.

"SoOptimuswhat'sitlikebeingaPrimenow?" Blurr asked, leaning over the counter to join in the conversation. Optimus stared at him blankly, unable to tell what he had just said. It was something that Blurr had never been able to control. The ex-racer talked fast and was physically incapable of slowing himself down. It annoyed Blurr just as much as his customers for he found it hard to stir up a conversation since nobody could really understand him.

"My apologies. I didn't catch what you said Blurr." Optimus said uneasily.

"Gah! Cursemyinabilitytoslowmyselfdown! I'malwaysdoingthiswhenI'mtryingtotalk!" Blurr sighed, still babbling too quickly to be understood, "Isaid..." he paused for a couple of seconds, "What'sitlikebeingaPrimenow?"

"I think he's asking you about what it's like being a Prime now." Ratchet translated, hoping he'd got it right.

Blurr nodded to confirm that's what he said. Understanding now, Optimus answered.

"I've only just been converted. I cannot really say what it's like to be a Prime when I just got the rank." the former librarian said, "In terms of my physical strength and appearance though, I feel more...robust." he flexed his new arms, "It's like I've been given the makeover of a lifetime. I feel as if I could fight anyone, not that I would desire to. I even feel as if I could possibly be a match for Megatron."

"I'd totally love to see you wipe that smug grin off his face." Arcee sneered, "How funny it would be to see the Gladiator Champion lose his crown to his best friend!"

"Not that I'd ever want to deprive him of his title like that." Optimus said grimly, "Speaking of Megatron...I had hoped he would join us here tonight." he said, looking around to see if he was here, "He doesn't seem to be attending though."

"Sorry, mah bad. Did ya want me to invite him too?" Ironhide asked, "Ah always forget he's yer best bud."

"Nobody needs an invitation to attend The Circle." Ratchet noted, "I personally would've been happier without him but if Optimus wants him to attend, I won't object. I would hate to keep a pair of friends apart."

"He's not here though so obviously he's not interested." Arcee said dismissively, "Let's forget about him."

"I know you still harbour grudges against him for defeating you in the ring two years back, but there's no need to be so cold towards him." Optimus said sternly, "Let us not forget that Megatron is equally as responsible as I am for Megatronus's defeat. He had warned us about his treachery before hand and joined in the fight. He deserves to celebrate with us."

Ratchet and Ironhide nodded. They couldn't see any flaw in Optimus's logic and they even began to feel bad for not inviting him before. No doubt because of them, Megatron was beginning to feel left out.

"You go on and see if you can find him." Ratchet said softly, "We'll wait for you old friend."

Optimus smiled graciously. Ratchet was always a kind bot, even if he could be gruff at times. It was what he liked about him. Optimus stood up from his seat and left The Circle to find Megatron. He transformed into his new vehicle mode, a Cybertronian truck that was much bulkier and more powerful looking than his previous alt-form, and sped away. The moment he left, Blurr leaned over the counter.

"Sowhileyouguyswait...anyonewantanotherdrink?" he asked, holding up a drinks canister to signify what he was saying in case anyone didn't catch that.

* * *

Optimus found Megatron in the one place he had expected to find him, in the Pits of Kaon. Why not? He always hung out there, even when there was no fight going on. In his previous life, he had often come here to see Megatron training himself for the next battle he would partake in. He could see that the five-time Gladiator Champion was already letting loose a rapid round of fisticuffs and launching kicks as fiercely as possible. There was a noticeable change of tone to this training though. Optimus could see it in his body language and even his face. Megatron looked...angry. His punches and kicks seemed more full of fury than a need to exercise. He also didn't look confident or smug like he usually did. He just looked focused, removed from the arena around him, and most of all...furious. Something was eating away at him and it was effecting his mood. Optimus hoped his presence here would make Megatron feel better. He transformed and approached his friend as he threw another kick. Megatron didn't even realize he was here. He just threw some more punches.

"Hello Megatron." Optimus said, just to catch his attention.

The gladiator stopped dead in his tracks, as if hearing his friend's voice was enough to freeze him up. His arms fell down by his sides and he kept his back turned, refusing to even look at his friend-turned-Prime. When he spoke, his voice was dripping with anger and disgust, a far difference from how he usually spoke to the former librarian.

"Orion Pax...or should I call you "Optimus Prime" now?" he hissed scornfully.

"I came to see you. Me and my friends were having a get-together to celebrate our victory over The Fallen." Optimus explained, "I was hoping you'd join us."

"You hoped I would join you? Join you as you celebrate your transgression from nobody-to-Prime...a transgression that should have been mine!"

Megatron turned around for the first time, allowing Optimus to see the anger in his face at last. The Prime recoiled, surprised to see the rage in his friend. Megatron's optics were full of murder. If hate had a face, it would look like how Megatron did right now.

"I...I'm sorry?" Optimus said, confused.

"Don't act stupid to me Optimus!" Megatron roared, "You know what I'm talking about! I've been training and fighting for my whole life to gain favour from the Primes! I've gathered legions of supporters who scream my name whenever I'm in the arena! I am a Gladiator Champion in these very pits! FIVE TIMES I've been crowned the champion! I took your advice to gain favour from The Primes by giving them a reason to notice me and appreciate my strengths and skills! And for what? So my own friend can steal the glory from me?! So I can be cast aside and forgotten while you, a lowly librarian from the Hall of Records, is celebrated as Cybertron's hero?!"

"Megatron, calm down. You're getting overly emotional." Optimus said weakly, beginning to feel intimidated by his friend's anger.

"DO NOT DISMISS MY RAGE AS "GETTING OVERLY EMOTIONAL"!" Megatron bellowed, "I've been your faithful friend for years Optimus! YEARS! We were like brothers you and me! You were one of the only friends I ever had! And this is how I'm repaid? To be turned away, my services unappreciated while you, the nobody who came out of nowhere to help, are given all the credit! I was the one who warned everybody about The Fallen's treachery! I fought against him and was just as responsible for his destruction as you! But do I get one bit of credit for my contributions? Of course I don't! Why would anybody in this tainted world care about a lowly gladiator such as myself? I'm just a mindless brute, a savage in the eyes of the Primes! They accept you because you're "more like them"! I thought you were my friend Optimus! But it's clear I was wrong...you're one of the Primes now. You're one of them! And you dare come to me, asking for me to join in your celebratory victory?!"

Optimus was beginning to feel helpless, unsure of what to say about all of this. He could tell that nothing he would say would change Megatron's mind. His anger was absolute. And yet Optimus could understand where he was coming from. He had striven to become a Prime and yet his efforts were going on ignored while he, somebody who didn't even TRY to become a Prime, was now among the 13. He could easily see why Megatron felt so betrayed. But he was still determined to save his friendship while he still could. As hopeless as it seemed, it was worth a try.

"Megatron, I am sorry that the Primes have dismissed you and not given you any credit in your actions the other day." Optimus said, "But if you join me now, you will be celebrated. I told my friends that you should be thanked for your contributions to the battle. And maybe we can get the Primes to acknowledge your actions..."

"And then what? They'll just give me a pat on the back and send me on my way?" Megatron scoffed, "They'll not give me the proper reward! They're too proud of their precious little Optimus to acknowledge the actions of a celebrated champion such as myself! My only regret now is that I actually fought alongside them! I should've helped The Fallen destroy them all instead of fighting him!"

Optimus gasped. He couldn't believe what his friend was saying! He was actually saying that he SHOULDN'T have helped defeat The Fallen?! How could he let himself be deluded into thinking such a crazy thought?!

"Megatron, just listen to yourself! You don't know..." the Prime began.

"Shut up Optimus! I don't want to hear another word from the newest member of the Primes!" the gladiator snapped, "The Primes have shown their true colours. They're nothing but self-righteous glory-hounds who pick and choose who their heroes are, turning a blind eye to anybody who doesn't fit their particular ideas of what a hero is! And I no longer wish to devote my time to somebody who represents that cause. Leave me be, and dare not show yourself here again!" he concluded, turning his back on Optimus.

"Megatron please..." Optimus protested, refusing to back down.

The champion spun around and back-handed Optimus in the face, sending him flying across the arena. Even with his enhanced body, he was still easily knocked aside by the gladiator.

 **"GET OUT!"** Megatron exploded, his voice so loud that it actually echoed around the arena for a long few seconds.

Seeing that there was nothing else he could do, Optimus decided that he would no longer waste his time trying to get his ex-friend to see reason. It was clear Megatron was too consumed by jealousy to listen to him. He took one last look at Megatron before turning and walking away. The champion didn't even see him shed a lubricant tear as he left the arena, transforming back into truck mode and driving away. The moment he disappeared, three other Cybertronians joined Megatron's side. Starscream, Shockwave and Soundwave had heard their friend screaming and were concerned for him, hoping he was alright.

"Megatron! What's wrong? I heard you shouting! Is everything alright?" Starscream asked.

"I just ordered Optimus Prime to leave. I am fine." Megatron muttered.

"No doubt that metal-sucking glory-hound was here to rub his new position of Prime in your face, a position that should be rightfully YOURS!" the Seeker growled viciously, "How dare those short-sighted morons make HIM a Prime instead of you!"

"I agree. It was most illogical of them to give a lowly figure like Orion Pax a position of power like that." Shockwave said flatly, "Just as it was illogical of them to give all the glory to him while refusing to acknowledge your contributions to The Fallen's demise. If you hadn't warned everybody beforehand, nobody would be alive today."

"Yes Shockwave...but the Primes will be too arrogant and full of themselves to admit that." Megatron growled, "The Primes are the true villains of Cybertron! The Fallen was right to oppose them! We should've allowed him to take over! He would've made me a Prime if I'd accepted his deal! And if he didn't, I would've just killed him and taken his position! That was my greatest mistake, to contribute to The Fallen's demise instead of joining him. Well no more..."

He turned around to face his comrades. The first thing the trio noticed was that his optics were no longer the icy blue they had once been. They were now red, a truly demonic shade of red that made him look as if the devil himself had just taken over his body. His face broke into a grin that could chill the Energon. Starscream recoiled, actually intimidated by how Megatron was now looking.

"My friends...it is time that Cybertron was put under new management." he declared, unsheathing his sword to emphasize his point. "This year will dawn with the end of the Primes, and the rise of Megatron..."

* * *

A while later, Optimus Prime had returned to The Circle bar to a happy scene with his friends talking to one another and drinking. Ironhide had deployed one of his trademark arm cannons and was explaining to Arcee in great detail what parts went into it and how much firepower it packed. The fem-bot seemed to be impressed with the weapons designer's work. Ratchet turned to see that Optimus had returned and was about to jovially greet him but he noticed that something was wrong. Optimus was walking with his arms hanging limp and his shoulders hunched forward. He looked depressed, his body language and facial expressions like that of someone who has lost somebody very important to them. The medic looked concerned. He'd never seen his friend look so glum. Arcee saw it too, quickly growing concerned for her mentor.

"Optimus?" she asked, "What is it?"

"Is everything OK?" Ratchet asked, "Come over and tell us everything."

Optimus approached his friends and quickly explained to them what had happened. He told them Megatron was mad at him for taking what he thought was his and he wouldn't be coming to tonight's party. Chances were that they'd never see each other again. While Ratchet was sympathetic to his friend, Arcee just looked angry.

"What a crybaby!" she growled scornfully, "He's throwing a complete temper tantrum over nothing! He has the ball-bearings to be mad at you because the Primes gave you what you deserved? Ugh! Guys like him make me sick!"

"Arcee, I think you should cool down a bit." Ratchet said grimly, "I think you might just make things worse by insulting Megatron while Optimus is here."

"I'm calling a car a car at this point Ratchet, but I obviously mean no offence to Optimus. I'm just...angry that Megatron's upset him like this." the fem-bot said, glancing sympathetically over at Optimus.

"Ah personally can't fault the guy." Ironhide said, shaking his head sadly, "Imagine how ya'll would feel if you worked hard to get somethin' and your efforts were met with no reward. Ah think ah'd probably be as mad as Megatron right now."

"But it isn't Optimus's fault!" Arcee protested, "Why is that big-headed glory-seeker taking it out on him when he obviously didn't intend for this to happen? By the AllSpark, he didn't know Prima would declare him the newest Prime! It isn't fair that Megatron's blaming Optimus for all this!"

"Regardless, I hope that he'll be willing to listen once he's had some time to curb his enraged state." Optimus said solemnly, "I would hate for us to drift apart. Me and Megatron are more than just friends as you know. We're like brothers. If my becoming a Prime is what will lead to us having to lost that friendship, then I may have to consider resigning..." he muttered, glaring at his new body as if it was more a curse than a blessing. In a way, it probably was at this point.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ratchet exclaimed, his voice incredulous as if Optimus had said something incredibly silly, "You shouldn't give up your new position just because one Cybertronian is mad with you! Just give Megatron some time to cool off, he'll be more accepting of this change and maybe he'll even support you in your new role! If he's every bit the friend you see him as, he'll not stay mad at you forever."

Optimus nodded, seeing some sense in the doctor's words. He supposed it wouldn't be too bad to just wait it out and see how Megatron felt. Maybe he would feel better and they could go back to being friends again.

"I hope you're right Ratchet." the new Prime replied. It was all he had to say.

He sat back down again to continue the party and see if it would take his mind off of everything. But after a while, he began to feel it wasn't working. He couldn't get Megatron's anger out of his head, no matter how hard he tried, and ultimately, couldn't enjoy himself. So he ended up deciding to leave and just retire for the night, a decision that his friends supported. They didn't want him to just feel more miserable so they didn't object when Optimus decided to go. He walked out of the bar again and drove off home. Home to him was now the Palace of the Primes, the magnificent building he had thought he'd never end up living in. He had at first thought it glamorous to imagine sharing a place here with the 13 Primes. Now he suddenly didn't find it so appealing. It was as if the building was now a symbol of his doomed friendship than a sign that he had received the gift of a lifetime. He almost didn't want to go there and was tempted to head to the Hall of Records instead. But Optimus decided to go anyway. He'd feel more comfortable with his mentors, Alpha Trion and Sentinel Prime, around to speak to. As he approached the palace, he had no idea that it was soon to become a grave. A grave for the Primes...

* * *

As night began to fall, four Cybertronians had gathered together to formulate a plan. Said plan was going to make them powerful and see the Primes all dead. And of course, the four Cybertronians who were planning this were Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave. The four were still in the Kaon Arena, deciding it'd be the best place to discuss their plans since there was no chance of anyone hearing them. Nobody was here, the arena was empty and any security there was just there to make sure nobody was planning on vandalizing the place. Kaon had less strict laws than Iacon did so nobody really cared what happened as long as you weren't planning on breaking laws in Kaon. Nobody would ever challenge the four on their plans.

"As Soundwave has made very clear thanks to hacking into the Prime's medial records, the 12 of them are still injured and weak from The Fallen's attack." Megatron explained, motioning to Soundwave who was displaying the very information Megatron had mentioned on his visor, "Something to do with the Dark Energon still effecting them and they'll need some time to recover. Now is the best time to carry out our revolution! They'll not be at their full strength, and thus they'll be helpless to stop us!"

"Affirmative Megatron. But we still must carry caution." Shockwave noted, "They'll still be powerful, weakened or not. Our executions must be swift and precise. We cannot let the Primes have even the smallest of chances to survive."

"So hit them hard and finish them fast. A sound plan!" Starscream crooned, "And I of course, will be able to pull that off as I am equally as swift in battle as I am in the air!" he gloated, throwing a punch to show how fast he could throw one.

"Not fast enough to hold your own in the ring with Megatron though." Shockwave retorted.

"That was different!" Starscream protested, "I'll be fighting to kill, not to win this time!"

"Of course." Megatron purred, "When we carry out our assassination, Prima MUST be the one to die first. THAT is a priority! He is the leader and the most powerful of the Primes. If our plan is to succeed, he MUST be the one we kill before anyone else!"

"A logical approach." Shockwave agreed, "And I must be the one to kill Quintis Prime. As his fellow student, he'll not suspect anything until it is too late. There will be no reason for him to be suspicious."

"I suggest Micronus Prime should die quickly too." Starscream pointed out, "That little fragger will be troublesome if he combines with anybody. And what about that witch with the magic hammer? Solus Prime is it? We must take her out quickly too before she can bash any weapons into existence to take us down!"

"We will target her immediately after Prima." Megatron declared, "She is of second importance to kill. Micronus will be killed quickly too."

Soundwave then stood forward and dropped a suggestion of his own. But he didn't say it in his own voice. He just played a clip of somebody speaking that said "And I can lure the Primes to their deaths by mimicking their voices". The other three conspirators nodded agreeably. Soundwave's uncanny ability to mimick voices would be very useful indeed.

"And what about Optimus? He isn't injured and weak. He'll be the hardest to kill given he's at full strength!" Starscream cried, sounding frantic as if he should've thought of that earlier.

"I don't want to kill him until all the other Primes are dead." Megatron declared, "I want to see if he can be tempted to join our cause first. As my friend and brother, I at least want to give him a chance before we execute him too. If we have to, we will all take him on together to minimize his chances of survival. He may not be too hard to defeat given he has only just become a Prime. He might not be as strong as the others."

"I find it makes more sense to just kill him straight away. But I see your point in leaving open the chance he could be swayed." Shockwave said bluntly, "A Prime joining our regime will be beneficial to us."

Megatron nodded, glad his purple friend could see his point.

"We will carry it out tonight. Nobody will expect us to strike so suddenly." the gladiator proclaimed, "Come my disciples! Let us bring an end to the era of the Primes!"

He transformed into his jet mode and flew off with Starscream and Soundwave transforming and flying after him. Shockwave transformed into his tank mode and sped off after them, moving surprisingly fast for a tank. The four conspirators would make a stop or two to proper equip themselves first. And then...the killing would begin...

* * *

Night began to fall over Cybertron. It seemed to be welcomed as if it was an old friend to the many people of Cybertron. That was because to them, it was a night nobody thought they would live to see thanks to The Fallen's attempted takeover. For now, everybody would sleep peacefully tonight, knowing that The Fallen's threat was over and that Cybertron was safe again. But it wouldn't be a pleasant night, not for long.

In the Palace of the Primes, Prima was sitting alone in the council room and looking at a hologram displaying some information he needed to read about. It was mostly bills in relation to the property damage done by The Fallen and how much it would cost to repair. The problem was, the leader couldn't really focus on his work. It wasn't just his injuries playing up. He was beginning to feel as if things were changing for the worst. Megatronus Prime had betrayed them all and tried to kill them all, and despite granting Orion Pax the honour of becoming the next Prime, it hardly made up for Megatronus's betrayal. Alpha Trion had resigned out of protest, feeling that the Primes had brought this on themselves by not listening to his warnings and not keeping better tabs on the Warrior of Darkness. Prima was beginning to wonder if Alpha was right. Were the Primes too full of themselves to see potential threats that were right in front of their faces and now, it was beginning to threaten the planet's safety? Had their pride consumed them too much and now they were no longer fit to rule? Hopefully with Optimus Prime joining the council, a new face and a new voice to be heard would change everything. Maybe that was what they had needed in the end, a new recruit for the Primes. Maybe this would change things for the better.

"By the AllSpark, I'll make sure that the Primes never allow anything to slip their radar again." Prima muttered to himself, "If there's a threat, we will keep an eye on it. I'm not gonna allow anything like The Fallen's betrayal happen again..."

He stood up from his chair and headed over to the door. He would leave his work for tomorrow. For now, he just wanted to rest for the night and allow his injuries some time to heal. He could still feel crackles of Dark Energon in his systems from the times The Fallen had electrocuted him. If he had been a lesser being, he would have been weakened even more considerably than he had now. He opened the door and left the council room, intending to go to his quarters. But as he closed the door behind him, he turned and found himself face to face with somebody he'd never seen before. It was a robot with a slender body design, huge wings on his back and with blue, silver and red colours. He looked like an aerial ace, somebody who could fly with incredible speeds. Prima knew he hadn't seen him before, yet he felt he looked familiar. Wasn't there a squadron of fliers with similar designs to this one?

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Do forgive the intrusion O Great Prima, Leader of the Primes!" the robot said, waving his hands, "I am Starscream, a member of the Seekers. I assume you know of them?"

"Ah yes, I do indeed. They're part of Cybertron's military force." Prima acknowledged, "Well it's a pleasure to meet a fellow Seeker. Why have you come here? Do you wish to speak to me?"

"Yes indeed great leader. You see, me and the Seekers were wondering if you could provide us with your great wisdom on a most pressing subject." Starscream claimed, his voice indicating he had nothing but respect for the Prime leader.

Prima was a little unsure he felt comfortable with the way this Starscream talked. He was clearly sucking up to him a little, but was it genuine? Keeping on his guard, he decided to continue. If this Cybertronian was lying and had some sinister motive in mind, he would of course take him down. He had the Star Saber on his back and would use it if he had to. There was no danger.

"So what do the Seekers need me for?" he asked.

"Nothing much." Starscream said casually, "Oh nothing at all. They just...want you to die Prima!" he declared, his voice crazed.

Prima was taken aback by this. So this Starscream was clearly some kind of terrorist who had come to kill him! He clearly wasn't a very good assassin given he'd just loudly proclaimed what he was going to do. He'd show this crazy bot just how stupid he really was. But then suddenly, he felt something attach to his back. It clamped onto him and was stuck fast. What was it? Who had put it there? He tried reaching for it but it had been placed in an awkward position, making it hard to reach. Starscream leapt back as the thing that had been attached to Prima suddenly detonated. A huge explosion of fire tore through the Prime, vaporizing his entire body from the abdomen up. There was only a smoking remain of where his head, shoulders and chest had been. His arms fell aside, broken away from his shoulders and what was left of his body collapsed onto the floor. The Star Saber had miraculously survived the explosion, but was badly damaged and would be no use in battle unless it was repaired. Smoke drifted from the dead Prime's corpse. Megatron emerged from the shadows, glad to see that the det-pack he had attached to Prima's back had worked beautifully. He had heard these things were destructive and was glad to see that the claims were true. He had brought plenty with him, knowing he'd need them. Starscream laughed, clearly delighted that the det-pack had worked.

"Not so high and mighty now are you Prima?!" he jeered, "The great and powerful leader of the Primes...killed by a surprise bomb attack! Ha, ha, ha, ha! I'd almost feel sorry for him if I wasn't enjoying this so much!"

"One down. 12 to go..." Megatron hissed, grinning with delight, "Soundwave and Shockwave should be targeting Solus Prime any moment now."

* * *

And targeting Solus Prime, Soundwave and Shockwave were both doing right now as Megatron and Starscream were congratulating one another on Prima's death. Upon entering the Palace of Primes, Soundwave had been quick to deduce where each Prime was in the building due to being able to pick up their unique energy signatures. No member of the Primes had the same energy signature, which made each of them easy to find. Due to Alpha Trion's resignation from the council, the sound engineer hadn't picked up his signature in the building, prompting Megatron to leave him aside for now. They could deal with the historian later. So while Megatron and Starscream had killed Prima, Soundwave and Shockwave had been on their way to Solus Prime. They found her energy signature emitting from a room that was deep down in the Palace of the Primes. This room was Solus Prime's private workshop where she retreated to every so often to use her magical hammer to bash any new weapons into existence. Nobody else was allowed down here, not even Prima.

Shockwave approached the door, the one thing separating him from his prey, and observed it. He noticed that it was one solid slab of metal and was clearly made of Cybertronian carbide, the strongest substance on the planet. The door had a single keypad that required a code to open it up. Of course, only Solus would know that code. The scientist ran through his options, his computer brain whirring. They could try and break the door down, but the solid build of it would make it hard to do so and they would likely take too long. Not to mention a break-in would just alert Solus Prime and allow her to prepare herself. Shockwave considered hacking the keypad to get the door open, but that might take too long too. It was also possible there might be a failsafe built into it, probably an alarm that would trigger if anybody other than Solus Prime touched it. The kills had to be swift, just as they had planned, and the two options available wouldn't be quick enough. So there was only one other solution. Shockwave turned to Soundwave.

"You know what needs to be done." he ordered.

Soundwave nodded, the faceless Cybertronian turning and pounding on the door as hard as he could. He had reached the same conclusion as Shockwave and had an idea what he was planning. After banging on the door, he heard the voice of Solus call out to him.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"It's Prima. Come to the meeting room at once! I have an urgent message for the council!" Soundwave replied, mimicking Prima's voice perfectly.

Solus Prime gasped. An urgent message! And from Prima himself! She put down her Forge, which she had been using to create a new type of blaster, and ran over to the door. She wouldn't keep her fellow leader waiting. She could only wonder what it was that was happening now as she opened up the door and ran outside. The moment she left the room, the master craftswoman cried out as she was hit by some kind of blast that seized up all her joints and caused her to collapse onto the floor. The Prime grunted and tried to get back up again. But to her horror, her limbs wouldn't obey her! She couldn't move whatsoever. It was like her body was disconnected from her brain. What had happened to her? She could see Shockwave looking down at her from the corner of her optics, growling angrily.

"Who the hell are you?!" she demanded fiercely, "What's going on here? How did you get into this place? And why can't I move?!"

"You do not need to know the answers." Shockwave muttered, "You won't be alive long enough to hear them."

He glanced over to Soundwave, who had run into Solus's workshop to grab the Forge. The sound engineer visibly struggled as he pulled it, but was nonetheless able to lift it up and carry it, staggeringly, to Shockwave. Shockwave grabbed the enormous hammer, the giant weapon seeming to weigh nothing in his one hand, and lifted it up out of Soundwave's hands. Thanks to his stun blast, Solus Prime had nowhere to go as he prepared to execute her. He wouldn't waste anytime, knowing his stun blasts only incapacitated targets for so long. Solus stared in horror as the purple Cybertronian lifted her hammer up high. She knew exactly what was going to happen.

"No! Don't do it! NO!" she begged.

Her pleas fell on deaf audio receptors as Shockwave swung down the Forge. The only sound that could be heard was the sickening crunch of solid metal smashing down onto metal. Solus Prime didn't even get to cry out as the hammer came down on her...

* * *

With two Primes now dead, Megatron and Starscream decided to move onto their next target. The team had agreed on killing Nexus Prime and Micronus Prime as soon as possible so the gladiator and Seeker were on the lookout for either of the two. Soundwave had given them Micronus's coordinates over their comlinks, telling them that the Mini-Con was in the palace's medical bay. And rather coincidentally, Nexus Prime was there too. How fortuitous! They could now kill two Primes at once! The two knew full well that they had to be swift in their executions. Once Nexus combined together, he would be tough to defeat. Megatron and Starscream silently made their way through the Palace of the Primes, making sure not to get spotted by any guards that were on patrol. Their plan had to work without them getting spotted. The Primes were easier to kill when they were apart. While making their way to the medical bay, Starscream provided a few distractions by turning invisible, sneaking past the guards and making noises to make them wander off to investigate. Megatron found himself thanking the AllSpark that his friend had such an ability. Thanks to this tactic, the two eventually made it to the medical bay.

The medical bay was a large room with Thirteen beds, one for each Prime, and had a fully qualified and operational staff of medical bots on duty, always ready for action and never once resting from their work. They had practically been working non-stop after the events of Megatronus's betrayal, checking up on the Primes to see how the Dark Energon was effecting them and if there was anyway to get rid of it safely. Micronus and Nexus, the latter currently in his five individual forms, were their latest patients and were being tested for Dark Energon contamination. The six Cybertronians lay still on their individual beds as the medic bots observed them while also patching up any wounds. Megatron walked straight into the room, deciding to strike now while the two Primes were bedbound. They were at their most vulnerable, so attacking them now would be best. Micronus heard him come in and sat up to see who it was. The Mini-Con looked surprised to see the Kaon Gladiator Champion walking into the room. He didn't like the way he'd entered, the gladiator having a posture and expression that made it look as if he owned the place.

"Megatron? What a surprise." he said, trying not to sound rude, "What are you doing here? Do you need a check-up too?"

"I'm not here for an appointment Micronus." Megatron purred smoothly, "I'm here to arrange your funeral!"

He then deployed his sword from under his Fusion Cannon and lunged towards Micronus, intending to cut him to pieces. Instead, he found himself facing one fifth of Nexus Prime as the individual component leapt up from his bed and grabbed onto the gladiator. Megatron had no trouble wrestling him away as he pulled him off and threw him onto the floor. The component saw only two red optics baring into it before its life was ended by a simple stab to the spark from Megatron's sword. With one component gone, Nexus Prime would never be whole again. Horrified, the other four components leapt off their bed and charged towards Megatron to avenge their fallen comrade. The medical bots had all fled to avoid getting caught up in the crossfire, but they didn't get far as they were quickly blown apart by missiles being launched at them. The four parts of Nexus Prime stopped, wondering what had just happened outside the room. To answer their question, Megatron stepped aside as Starscream stepped into the room and thrust his arms forward. He flexed his fingers, firing the missiles mounted on his arms straight at the four pieces of Nexus. He only fired two, but the force of the explosion was enough to send all four components flying as the missiles found their target. Blue Energon mixed with purple stained the floor as the components began to leak from their injuries.

Starscream cackled arrogantly as he ran in to attack one component. Megatron lumbered forwards and cut one component clean in half, watching the dead Cybertronian crumble in two onto the floor. Starscream had grabbed another, who was still reeling from his missile attack, and proceeded to rip it apart with his bare hands. Had Nexus been at full strength and not weakened by The Fallen, this wouldn't have been so easy. The remaining two components tried their best to fight back, but were ultimately outmatched by the gladiator and seeker as they grabbed a hold of them and carved them up to pieces. Starscream used his claws and Megatron used his sword. All five components were now dead, leaving Megatron with a third dead Prime on his team's hands. Micronus had been horrified at the sight of murder before his optics and was determined to avenge the fallen Nexus. He pounced on Megatron like an angry wolf.

"MURDERER!" he screamed.

He didn't get anywhere near the gladiator for Starscream shot him down with another missile launch. The Mini-Con cried out upon being hit, crashing down heavily onto the floor and unable to get up again. Smoke drifted up from where the missile had hit him. He grunted, his face twisted in agony as he tried to stand. Megatron stepped forward and picked him up, his hand wrapping around the small Prime's entire body. He looked like a toy in the champion's hands. Micronus glared at Megatron, not wanting to show weakness despite the situation he was in.

"You...why? Why are you doing this?!" Micronus demanded.

"Me and my comrades believe it is time for a new head to be placed on Cybertron's shoulders." Megatron purred, "It is time the era of the Primes came to an end...and a new era rise up in its stead! And I, Megatron, am beginning that era now!"

"You've gone insane!" Micronus cried, "You've become as tyrannical as The Fallen! I can't believe Orion Pax was actually friends with you!"

"If you want to survive Micronus Prime, you can do one thing for me." Megatron continued, ignoring the Mini-Con's remark, "You can hand over control of all the Mini-Cons to me. They will be useful in helping me establish my new order. Hand them over to me, and I will spare your life."

"I will never let you use the Mini-Cons!" the tiny Prime growled savagely, "I'd rather you just kill me now than let you subjugate the Mini-Cons to your sick order!"

"Allow me to grant you your request..." the rebellious gladiator snarled.

He then proceeded to grab hold of Micronus with his other hand and rip him apart as if he was a little boy pulling the limbs off of his action figure. Micronus screamed as he was pulled apart piece by piece. His spark gave out on him after Megatron ripped away half of his body. The Mini-Con and conscience of the Primes was nothing more than a pile of pieces on the floor when Megatron had finished. With that done, Megatron turned to leave the medical bay.

"Another two Primes have fallen to our coup. Now onto another..." he declared, walking out of the room with Starscream close behind.

* * *

While Megatron and Starscream had been killing Nexus and Micronus, Shockwave and Soundwave had moved on to take out another two Primes. The former was going for Quintis Prime while Soundwave was heading off to find Amalgamous Prime. The purple scientist hadn't been surprised to see from Soundwave's tracking that Quintis was in his lab. Of course he was, that Prime was always in his lab when he wasn't fighting to save the planet! Shockwave knew the way to the lab so it hadn't taken him long to reach Quintis at all. He came here so often that he could find his way to the lab blindfolded. Any guard who saw him coming didn't challenge him for they were familiar with Shockwave. He was a student of Quintis Prime and thus, was here regularly. If any guard had thought to ask the cyclopean bot what he was doing here, he just had to tell them that he was one of Quintis's students and was just going to see him. It almost insulted Shockwave to think that Quintis's death was going to come so easily. It should be considered criminal to make it this easy to kill anyone!

He saw the familiar door of Quintis's lab, seeing its trademark warning stripes and the crest of the Primes molded into the middle of it. The one-handed Cybertronian approached the door and knocked on it, the soft sound of his metal hand tapping the door surprisingly loud in the confined space of the corridor.

"Hello?" came the voice of his mentor.

"Quintis Prime. It is me." Shockwave announced, "I wish to see you."

"My dear student! How nice of you to come!" the Prime scientist cried jovially, "Do come in."

The door opened up and Shockwave walked inside without hesitation. The lab looked no different from how he remembered it. There was the usual tangle of wires hanging from the ceiling, the clutter of equipment on work-desks and the flickering of Bunsen burners. Experience had taught him that Quintis Prime was NOT a tidy person. The lab was always a mess, even when he was teaching his students. Maybe he liked it this way, who knew? Quintis looked up from some sort of chemical he was working on, clearly pleased to see the logic-driven scientist.

"And how are you this fine night?" he asked politely.

"I am perfectly well." Shockwave replied bluntly, "What are you working on?"

While he asked the question to keep Quintis distracted until it was time to strike, he was at the same time genuinely interested. Maybe he could use whatever it was for whatever purpose in the future.

"I'm just experimenting on how to counter-effect the Dark Energon that's so far weakened us all after The Fallen exposed us to it with his lightening attacks." the Prime scientist explained, "Not only could it help us all recover, it could be useful if we're better prepared to face against Dark Energon if anybody else tries using it against us."

He walked around the other side of the desk to look at a jar that contained a sample of his Dark Energon-tainted Energon, putting himself directly in front of Shockwave.

"It'll take a while to draw any results of course. These things take time." he continued, "But when it's finished, nobody will be able to use Dark Energon against us as effectively as The Fallen did."

"A logical plan Quintis." Shockwave agreed, "However...you're not going to live long enough to complete the formula."

He aimed his cannon-arm and fired the same stun-blast he had used to immobilize Solus Prime earlier. Quintis cried out as his body was seized up by the blast. He collapsed onto the floor, completely unable to move. He lay there, wondering what had happened. He heard the sound of breaking above him and his Energon ran cold as he quickly realized what that sound meant. A jar fell off the table and broke in front of his vision as it crashed onto the floor. That confirmed what he was dreading.

"S-S-Shockwave! W-w-what are you doing?!" he stammered.

"Preventing your formula from being made." the scientist declared, "If any of us wish to use Dark Energon, I wouldn't want any way for it to be countered. And with you gone, nobody will ever figure it out."

He then proceeded to pick up a hand-held saw blade from another table and knelt down beside his mentor. Quintis shuddered, terrified as his student turned the saw on. What had gotten into him?! Why was he doing this?!

"As you are a scientist, I find it...logical for you to have a scientific death." Shockwave continued, "I'm going to see how long your spark will last as I dissect you piece by piece. Do not worry though, your parts will be kept for possible use later."

He then edged the saw forward, the horrible whirring sound filling the Prime scientist's audio receptors as it came close. The only one who heard Quintis's screams as the saw cut into him was the one who was doing the evisceration...

* * *

While Quintis was being dissected alive, Soundwave had found where Amalgamous Prime was currently stationed. He had found the first ever Transformer in his own personal quarters. Presumably, the easy-going Prime just wanted a moment to himself to rest and recuperate from the fight with The Fallen. Soundwave couldn't detect any other energy signatures in the room, meaning that Amalgamous was alone in there. There were no other Primes, or Cybertronians in general, with him. At least then he'd have an easy time killing him and having no witnesses. He observed the door, noticing it was the same kind of door that Solus Prime's workshop had. Like that one, it would take too long to break down. Instead, he would use his manipulation of sound to lure the unfortunate Prime to his death. He pounded on the door, earning a response from the other side.

"Huh, what? Who's there?" came the voice of Amalgamous Prime.

"It's Prima. I need you to come to me now! I have urgent news the Primes must here!" Soundwave exclaimed, once again mimicking Prima's voice to perfection.

He then stood to one side and waited for the door to open. He could hear footsteps approaching, meaning that Amalgamous had fallen for his ruse and was coming out now. The door opened and the very Prime who had invented transformation stepped out. He looked different again, presumably having given himself a new alternate mode once more. Amalgamous changed appearances more than a car changed tyres. He looked around curiously, wondering where Prima was. He had just heard him speak so where was he?

"Huh, I could've sworn that was Prima talking!" he murmured, "Where'd the big guy go?"

He then cried out as something stabbed into his back and then brutally electrocuted him into unconsciousness. Had he still been awake, he would've seen a Cybertronian with a slender build and no face staring down at him as silent as a grave. Soundwave observed the unconscious Amalgamous to make sure he was truly out cold. Satisfied, he raised the tentacles he had used to subdue the Prime and brought them down, the tips spinning around like a pair of giant drills. In the end, he supposed he'd given Amalgamous a merciful death. He wouldn't feel anything as the sound engineer's tentacles dug down into his body...

* * *

With Micronus and Nexus Prime dead, Megatron had decided to move onto Alchemist Prime next after hearing from Soundwave that he was the closest Prime to his current location. He and Starscream both traversed the hallway together, once again making sure they weren't noticed, to find the spiritual prime. Both assassins were looking forward to finishing this particular Prime off. Neither of them believed in spirits and had always found his blabbering about the spiritual world annoying and tedious. They came across him in his own personal quarters, which were pretty close to the medical bay. That made them wonder for a moment. Why did Alchemist Prime position his quarters close to the medical bay? Did he feel safer knowing he was close to a supply of medical equipment and staff? He wouldn't be needing it when they were through with him. Megatron and Starscream approached the door, knowing that they had found their next Prime.

"According to Soundwave, Alchemist is in there." Megatron murmured, "Now we need to figure out how to get inside."

"The door looks pretty solid my liege." Starscream mused, stroking his chin in thought, "Cybertronian carbide I'd guess. What else would the Primes make their doors out of?"

"It'll take too long to break down." Megatron sighed irritably, "We'll have to instead, trick him into coming out to us."

"If I may Megatron, I think I might have an idea..." Starscream purred, clearly delighted at the possibility of proving how useful he was.

The Kaon gladiator nodded, accepting Starscream's request. He was genuinely curious on what the Seeker had in mind. He stepped back as Starscream approached the door and aimed his arm at it. Of course, it was silly to think that Starscream's missiles would have any effect on the door, but Megatron could see what his comrade was planning. He watched with a delighted grin on his face as the flier fired his missile, hitting the door square in the middle. The missile didn't event dent it, but it did live a black circle in the middle, showing where it had hit. After firing the missile, the two heard a frantic yelling from inside the room.

"What was that?! Are we under attack?!" cried a voice, "I must warn Prima immediately!"

Alchemist had clearly heard the missile attack, but he wasn't sure where it had come from and what it had hit. He ran over to the door and opened it up, running straight outside...only to find himself smacked across the face and brought down onto the ground by a vicious back-handed punch from Megatron. The spiritual Prime was so stunned by the blow that he didn't even cry out. He just landed down on his back, wondering what had hit him. He sat up, only to then cry out as something approached him and plunged a single hand into his chest. He stared straight into the eyes of his killer, only able to acknowledge that it was somebody he didn't recognize before the hand that had penetrated him pulled itself out. That same hand was now holding his own spark. Alchemist Prime was dead before he even registered what had happened. He collapsed, his body powerless without his spark to run it. His eyes dimmed and the light went out. They stared at the ceiling as if trying to admire it one last time. Starscream turned to Megatron, proudly showing Alchemist Prime's spark to him.

"Very impressive isn't it?!" he crowed, "I single-handedly lured him into our trap and now I have his literal spark in my hand! What a trophy this'll make for the great and glorious Starscream!"

"You may keep that souvenir of yours my accomplice." Megatron said darkly, more pleased with the fact Alchemist was dead than who had done it, "Let us move onto the next Prime."

He put a finger to the side of his head, activating his comlink so he could contact Soundwave.

"Soundwave, how many Primes are left?" he asked.

His response was six beeps, indicating six Primes were left to kill. One wasn't in the Palace of Primes as he already knew so that meant five were still here for them to assassinate. One of those five was the one he hoped he wouldn't have to kill but he'd come to that when he came to it.

"Tell Shockwave to go after whatever Prime is close to him. I want you to join up with me and Starscream so we can take down Liege Maximo together." Megatron ordered, "The manipulator will need more than one of us to finish him off..."

* * *

Upon receiving Megatron's order, Soundwave had found out that Shockwave was close to Onyx Prime, the first beast-former, and quickly passed on the message to the scientist. Shockwave understood and made his way towards Onyx now he had finished with Quintis Prime. Upon having dissected his former mentor, he had felt absolutely nothing. He didn't feel any guilt, pleasure, regret, delight or anything upon having done it. As far as he was concerned, it was like he'd just killed somebody unimportant to him. It was the one thing about his sense of logic, it had left him devoid of all emotions and anything that would be considered "Cybertronian". Of all the people of Cybertron, he was quite possibly the most like an actual robot out of all of them.

This sense of logic was what was currently formulating his plan to kill Onyx Prime. He knew that as a beast-former, he was dangerous, and would have to take him down quickly. If he could pull it off before Onyx transformed, that would make things easier for him. According to Soundwave, he'd located his energy signature in a room unlike most of the other rooms in the palace. It was Onyx's personal quarters, but his personal quarters were unlike the other Primes. Knowing that Onyx was close to nature, Shockwave supposed he could understand why his personal quarters would have a huge window allowing him to see the outside world. It was why Shockwave was now climbing out through a window in the corridor and making his way across the wall to Onyx's quarters that way. The door to his room would take too long to break down, but the window would fall with a simple det-pack. The cyclopean scientist counted his blessings that it wasn't windy tonight. With one hand, this task would've been even harder if it was. Shockwave edged his way across towards Onyx Prime's window. He could see it, a huge glass structure shaped like the logo of the Primes, the very logo all 13 of them carried. Shockwave managed to climb over to a ledge on the window so he could let go of the wall and he pulled out a det-pack that he had on his back. He attached it to the window, glancing into make sure nobody was watching. He could see Onyx inside, in his beast mode as usual, sleeping peacefully on the floor. He was resting from his battle with The Fallen and looked quite content just snoozing away like so. Glad he hadn't been seen, Shockwave set the timer for the det-pack and edged away from the window, holding on tight so he wouldn't fall.

A few minutes passed before the det-pack detonated, blowing the window up and shattering it to pieces. Despite not being too close, Shockwave still felt the impact of the blast punch against him and he dug in his claws to tighten his grip. The scientist managed to keep himself from falling. Onyx Prime had been woken by the blast and had run over to his window to see what was happening. As soon as he stuck his head out, Shockwave took aim and fired. It was all he needed, a single charged shot to the head to finish off the first ever beast-former. The plasma blast hit Onyx Prime, destroying his head instantly. The headless beast slumped to the floor, the dead body falling out of the room as it overbalanced over the edge. Shockwave watched it fall and hit the ground heavily. The purple bot saw no reason to hang about now his mission was accomplished, climbing over to the broken window and pulling himself into the now empty room that Onyx had once occupied. He activated his comlink.

"Megatron, I have disposed of Onyx Prime." he announced.

* * *

"Good to hear Shockwave." Megatron purred, delighted to hear the news, "Make your way to us. Me, Starscream and Soundwave are just heading towards Liege Maximo to kill him next."

He shut off, feeling the conversation didn't need to continue. He and his comrades made their way to where Liege Maximo was stationed. The famed manipulator wasn't in his own quarters, but was in fact currently occupying the documents room. This room was where all information about what went on in the Prime's meetings were kept. The meetings were recorded, dated, filed and stored here until further use. Why Liege was in there was of no matter to Megatron. He just wanted him dead and fast as a skilled manipulator like him could throw a wrench into his plans easily. He turned to Soundwave and Starscream.

"When we enter that room, we kill Liege Maximo INSTANTLY." he declared, emphasizing the word "instantly", "We must not let him speak whatsoever. The moment he talks, he could make things very tricky for us."

"That measly Prime may weasel his way through political debates, but he won't be able to get us to do what he wants!" Starscream sniffed, "Manipulation can only get you so far and he probably knows it."

"Nevertheless, stick to the plan Starscream!" Megatron hissed, "We've done well so far, having finished off eight Primes, and we cannot afford to have anything go wrong for us now."

The Seeker shrugged but said nothing. He certainly wasn't going to mess things up for Megatron, not when he was getting so much praise for his efforts in helping bring down the Primes. The trio turned a corner and headed down a straight corridor that led to the documents room. The door was labelled as such and looked pretty ordinary, not unlike the solid doors that the Prime's personal quarters had. It made sense that way. Why give a room like this a solid door made of Cybertronian carbide? With their target inside, Megatron ran towards the door and barged it open. Liege Maximo, who had been studying some documents, turned around quickly to see what was happening but he didn't even get the chance to say anything as a huge fusion blast was fired at him. The blast hit him in the face, making the manipulator cry out in anguish as he stumbled back. He bumped into a shelf of documents, spilling the contents onto the floor and bringing the shelf crashing down on top of him. Megatron hauled the shelf away form Liege and shot him again, tearing huge chunks of his armour away from his back. Liege Maximo wailed again, feeling more pain than he had ever felt in his life.

Starscream and Soundwave ran into the room to join in, surrounding Liege and reaching down so they could claw at him. The Prime tried to speak, just to ask the simple question of what was going on, but he couldn't. He could only scream as the Seeker and sound engineer began ripping away pieces of his body. Liege feebly tried to fight back, grabbing hold of Soundwave's arm to stop him tearing away his armour. But Starscream just grabbed hold of Liege's head and tore off pieces of that, making him scream in pain once more. Megatron decided to finish it off by drawing out his sword and he swung it down on Liege Maximo, cutting him clean in half. Starscream and Soundwave let go of the dead Prime, watching his body collapse to the ground in two halves. The Prime would never talk anyone to his way of thinking ever again. Megatron grinned with pleasure, glad to see the eighth Prime of the night dead. There were only four more to finish off.

"Excellent work my disciples." he praised, "With Liege gone now, we only have Sentinel and Vector Prime to deal with before we storm the Hall of Records to claim Alpha Trion's head!"

"And we'll deal with Optimus if he refuses to join us." Starscream reminded, "I personally would love to finish that slag-head off for stealing your title Megatron!"

"As would I, but I still would like to see if he can see things my way first." Megatron muttered, "As my old friend, he deserves that bit of mercy. If he refuses...then he can join his fellow Primes as they become one with the AllSpark..."

He turned to leave the room, keen to finish off his devious coup. Only four Primes left and the age of the Primes would be over...and the Age of Megatron would begin...

* * *

 _ **Things seem to be going well for Megatron right now. With eight Primes dead and four more to kill, it looks as if a new age is coming for Cybertron. Will he succeed? Or will the remaining Primes turn the tides against him?**_

 _ **Tune in next time as we witness the "Rise of the Decepticons"...**_


	6. Eve of War Part 5

_Eve of War Part 5: Rise of the Decepticons_

The Palace of the Primes was becoming a graveyard. Nine of the Thirteen Primes had been brutally assassinated by four conspiring Cybertronians who believed the planet needed a new government to run it. They felt the time of the Primes was over and that it was time for a new head to run the planet. And yet, despite all this murder and violence going on, there were some individuals who were completely unaware that the murders were even going on. One of those individuals was Optimus Prime, the newest member of the Primes.

Having just recently been promoted, Optimus was spending his first night ever in the majestic palace, something he had only dreamed about until now. The former librarian still found it incredulous to think that he was actually here, in his own room, in a political house like this, as part of the governing body that ran Cybertron! A part of him still wondered if this was really happening and if this wasn't just some beautiful dream he wasn't able to wake up from. Only the dream wasn't as beautiful as it seemed now. He was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind still abuzz. How could he possibly sleep with so much troubling thoughts whirring around in his head? He could still hear Megatron's angry words as he'd ranted to him back in the ring, expressing his extreme displeasure and anger at him receiving all the credit and claiming the title he'd been fighting for. How could Optimus live with his new title knowing that it had brought great anger and upset to his best friend? What would even become of his friendship now he was a Prime? Would Megatron get over it and accept him again or would the wedge between them just grow bigger and bigger until there was nothing left of their friendship? How could a simple promotion turn the one whom he considered a brother into a bot full of jealousy and rage? Optimus gave up trying to drift off, knowing sleep wouldn't come to him. He stood up from his bed and thumped one of the walls in exasperation.

"I'm slowly beginning to wish that Prima hadn't even bothered handing me that Matrix." he muttered to himself, "If I had known becoming a Prime would destroy a valuable friendship, I wouldn't have taken up Sentinel's training. I should've stayed in the library..." he sighed.

That made him consider for a moment. Was it selfish of him to think that? If he hadn't helped, then The Fallen would've taken over Cybertron. Ratchet had made it clear to him earlier that his charging into battle had inspired the lesser beings to take action, feeling motivated by he who himself had been a lesser being before his promotion. It was thanks to him that Cybertron was saved! He shouldn't curse his new life as a Prime just because it angered Megatron! Optimus ran a hand down his temples, beginning to feel ashamed of himself. Here he was, wallowing in self pity, when he should at least be thankful that he had helped save millions of lives by helping to defeat The Fallen and had been an inspiration to many Cybertronians! He had done the right thing and the fact he'd upset ONE person, unintentionally, shouldn't get in the way of that fact! The new Prime began to feel a little better about himself now. At least there was some good that he could think of concerning his new life as a Prime. He sat back down on his bed.

"I wonder if I'll inspire any other Cybertronians to fight for peace and freedom..." he murmured to himself, "And maybe, I could inspire Megatron to continue trying to become a Prime. At the very least, I'd be happy to help him and offer any advice I can give. If he's willing to listen..."

Optimus's face fell as he considered that fact. Would Megatron ever get over this and listen to reason? He didn't get much time to ponder over it for his door suddenly opened up and somebody walked in. Optimus was glad to see it was none other than his mentor, Sentinel Prime. It always felt good to see the wise old Prime that had tutored him and had so much faith in him. But Optimus quickly noticed that something was wrong. Sentinel looked grave, as if something terrible had happened. He could see it in his face. The new Prime stood up quickly.

"Sentinel? It is good to see you." he said politely.

"Optimus, I'm glad that you're still alive." Sentinel said, clearly sounding relieved as if he'd been dreading the worst, only to see everything was fine.

"Still alive...?" Optimus asked curiously, "Sentinel, what are you talking about?"

"There is a conspiracy happening tonight!" the former Elite Guard exclaimed, "Me and Vector Prime were walking together, discussing about what to do to better prepare ourselves for another incident like The Fallen's attack and we came across something terrible! Someone is lurking in the Palace of the Primes and slaughtering our fellow Primes!"

Optimus was so taken aback by the news that he nearly collapsed. He was amazed that his circuits hadn't gone haywire with shock. How could this be?! The Primes were being murdered!

"No...it cannot be Sentinel..." he gasped, his voice quiet and weak as if he couldn't even speak up anymore, "Please tell me that this is not true!"

"It is true my son." Sentinel said, sounding pained, feeling like admitting the truth was physically painful to him, "Prima, Solus, Nexus, Micronus, Quintis, Amalgamous, Alchemist, Onyx, Liege, they're all dead! We found Prima's body in the Council Room and upon trying to warn the others, we saw their life signals had gone offline. Somebody clearly has a grudge against the Primes and Vector strongly believes we could be next unless we leave immediately!"

"What about Alpha Trion?" Optimus asked, "Is he safe?"

"He resigned earlier today." the elderly Prime said, "Alpha was so annoyed with us for not heeding his warnings about The Fallen that he no longer wished to be a part of us, so he relinquished his position and confined himself to library duties from now on. He'll be in the Hall of Records, well out of harm's way."

Optimus was relieved to hear this. Alpha had been like a second mentor to him and he would've been crushed if he had been murdered too. He grabbed hold of Sentinel's arm.

"While I understand your desire to flee to save yourself, we cannot just leave like this." Optimus insisted, "The killers will be allowed to run free and try to kill us again. We must instead track down the assassins and arrest them before they claim another life!"

"I suggested that too, but Vector feels that they're too well-equipped for us to take on!" Sentinel cried, "Also, we have no idea how many assassins there are lurking in the palace! There could be a hundred for all we know! I'm sorry my apprentice, but we MUST leave now!"

Optimus wanted to argue, try and convince Sentinel that they had to stop the killers before they killed again. He was worried for the rest of Cybertron's people. What if they ended up becoming targets? They had to keep the people safe! But he also knew that Sentinel was very stubborn when it came to debates. When he made up his mind, he made up his mind and nothing could change it. He was known to argue with Prima vehemently and not let him change his mind. Also, the time they spent debating this matter just wasted time they could spend escaping and gave the killers more time to track them down. Sighing in defeat, Prime knew that his mentor had the right idea.

"Then let's go before we become targets." Optimus said, sounding reluctant to say those words.

With the decision made, both Primes transformed into their vehicle modes and sped off out of Optimus's room. Sentinel's vehicle mode was a Cybertronian fire engine that looked bigger than the standard fire engine models on Cybertron and the shape of the vehicle heavily resembled a Rosenbauer Panther Fire Truck. Like all Cybertronian road vehicles, he had hover capabilities, his six wheels able to fold down to become hoverpads. The two Primes rushed through the corridors, their engines roaring as they sped up, going as fast as they could. Optimus stuck close to Sentinel and followed his lead. The elder Prime knew the palace from top to bottom so he of course would know the quickest way out. They sped around one corner and saw that there was somebody just ahead. To their relief, it was Vector Prime, still alive and looking equally as pleased to see them. The time master watched them drive towards him, staying where he was as they activated their hoverpads to slow themselves down. The two trucks stopped just before Vector.

"You found Optimus, and he's still alive like we are!" Vector cried, "Good work Sentinel. Now we can leave here before the assassins come for us!"

But the time master didn't get a chance to do anything as suddenly, completely out of nowhere, something hit him in the back and made him cry out in pain. He was whisked off his feet by the blast and brought down onto the floor, making Sentinel and Optimus back up. They transformed and stared down at Vector, hoping he was alright. The Prime picked himself up, clearly showing that one shot to the back wouldn't bring him down so easily. The three Primes looked ahead and saw the one who had shot Vector in the back. To Optimus's horror, he knew who it was. Standing at the end of the corridor, his Fusion Cannon aimed at the trio of Primes...was Megatron himself! He wasn't alone though. He had three other Cybertronians, Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave, all standing beside him with their weapons aimed too. The former librarian was so horrified at what he was seeing that he didn't believe it. Megatron was many things, but he was no killer! It couldn't be him standing there right now! Sentinel and Vector seemed to have an easier time believing it though for they drew out their weapons and prepared to fight.

"Megatron! You dare trespass in the Palace of the Primes and assault us?! What is the meaning of this?!" Sentinel growled savagely.

"The Primes have proven themselves arrogant and corrupted, unfit to rule this world and watch over us all." Megatron purred smoothly, "I'm merely executing them for their crimes and giving Cybertron a true leader, a leader who doesn't pick and choose who his heroes are..."

He then fired his Fusion Cannon once more, forcing Sentinel and Vector to dodge the shot as it came to them. The blast hit the floor, tearing a hole into it and leaving a singed circle around it. The Kaon Gladiator growled, hoping that he wouldn't have to resort to a fight and finish off all the Primes before they knew what was happening. The rules had just changed and now he was going to have to fight.

"Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave! Do not let the Primes live!" Megatron roared.

Shockwave was the first to oblige, aiming his own cannon arm at Sentinel and firing a plasma blast. Sentinel didn't have time to dodge as the blast hit him, knocking him backwards and careening into a wall. Starscream aimed his missiles and fired them at Vector Prime. The time master tried to dodge, but the missiles were heat-seekers so when he moved, they just followed him. The corridor was too confined a space for Vector to properly dodge the missiles so he was stricken by them and brought down onto the ground, clutching his wound as Energon leaked out and small pieces of armour fell away. Optimus ran forwards, holding his hands up as if begging for Megatron to stop. The five-time gladiator champion lowered his fusion cannon, leaving his minions to face off against Sentinel and Vector so he and Optimus could talk. The new Prime looked pained, completely distraught at the very idea that his best friend was ordering his disciples to murder the Primes.

"Megatron..." he blustered. He couldn't even form complete sentences due to how shocked he was. "W...why..?"

"Optimus Prime! I'm glad that we can have this moment to talk together!" Megatron exclaimed, sounding genuinely pleased to be saying those words.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Optimus said, finally getting the words out, "WHY?!"

"I thought what I said to you earlier would be the answer to your question." Megatron muttered, not wanting to waste any time explaining this to Optimus.

"This is all about me isn't it?" Prime deduced, "You're doing all of this because I was elected a Prime and you wasn't!"

"It's not ALL about you old friend." the Kaon resident said, "As I mentioned to Sentinel, the Primes are a corrupt group who are nothing but glory-seekers, only accepting who their heroes are when it matches their definition of one. They claim to be accepting of all Cybertronians, yet they clearly show prejudice to those who don't hail from Iacon. Why else would I be ignored while you, an Iacon citizen, is the one they give all the glory to? The Primes are the true evil of this world, and they must be eradicated if Cybertron has any hopes of a prosperous future!"

"You call them glory-seekers, yet that's exactly the reason why you wanted to become a Prime to begin with!" Optimus retorted, "And you claim the Primes are the "true evil" and yet you are the one murdering them all! How can you make such claims when you contradict them like so?"

"Don't pontificate me Prime!" Megatron retorted, "If eliminating a corrupt council is a crime, then I'm happily guilty! I'm only doing what is right, for the future of Cybertron! This world needs a new order, and I am the one who will be at the head of this new order!"

"Your new order?" Optimus blurted, sounding incredulous as if the whole idea was completely ludicrous, "Megatron, this isn't you at all! I know you seek glory, but you've never striven for world domination!"

"Only because I never had to. Circumstances have forced me to take action and make some changes for the better!" Megatron snapped, "And given you are my friend Optimus, I extend an invitation to join me in my new order to you."

He held out a hand for Optimus to take. The Prime stared at him, unable to believe that his old friend was crazy enough to actually make him an offer. Was he that far over the edge that he really thought that HE of all people would want to be a part of this coup?!

"Join me Optimus Prime. Together, you and I can bring law and order to this misguided planet!" Megatron offered, "You want a free Cybertron and you've spoken to me plenty about your great ideals for the world. If you join me now, we can bring them into fruition! Accept my offer! I would hate to have to kill you too...old friend."

He had deliberately emphasized the "old friend" line at the end to bring the point across as sharply as possible. He clearly wanted Optimus to take that in when considering his offer. The red and blue robot didn't waste any time mulling the offer over though. There was nothing to mull over, joining Megatron was simply out of the question! He DID want to bring his ideals to life, but NOT like this! He kept his hands by his sides, refusing to take Megatron's. The Prime's eyes fixed into Megatron's own red orbs, lacking any warmth they normally had.

"You are insane Megatron. Murdering the Primes for petty reasons and now asking me to join in your slaughter?" Optimus scoffed, making no effort to hide his disgust, "Your cause is one I can NEVER be a part of Megatron. I am sorry...old friend." he concluded, emphasizing the last two words the same way Megatron did as if hoping they would hurt him in some way.

Megatron spent perhaps a second or two taking all of this in, angered that Optimus refused to join him, before drawing out his sword and slashing Optimus across the chest with it. The huge, sharp blade left a clean slice in the Prime's chest and made him stumble back, more surprised than hurt due to how fast Megatron had moved.

"Then like your oppressors, YOU WILL DIE!" Megatron bellowed, raising his arm for another slash attack.

Optimus was quick to react by drawing out his own sword and blocking Megatron's attack. There was a mighty clang as both blades contacted. Megatron acknowledged what had happened with interest. It was clear his former friend would make a promising opponent. At least then, he could claim his spark with the knowledge that Optimus had put up a good fight! The two opponents draw their swords back and clashed again, sending sparks leaping into the air. They could feel the impact of the blades ringing through their arms with each powerful hit. Optimus sword his sword, to which Megatron parried, and followed up with a kick to the abdomen that knocked him off his feet. Optimus stood up, only to then be blasted directly in the chest by a fusion blast from his opponent. He cried out as the blast hit him and he grunted as pain surged through his circuits. He had seen how powerful Megatron's shots were when watching him in the ring but even now, it was still surprising to feel how powerful they were. Megatron approached Optimus, aiming his Fusion Cannon at him again. He fired, but Optimus slashed through the shot with his sword. He then followed up by charging towards Megatron and swinging his weapon upwards. He clipped Megatron with the attack and knocked him backwards. The gladiator just smirked, more amused than hurt.

"Very good..." he sneered, "Unlike the Primes I've slaughtered, you will actually be a worthy opponent! It could be because of the fact you weren't exposed to the Dark Energon as much as the others as to why you are considerably in better shape than they were."

That made Optimus think for a moment. It was true, he had indeed had less Dark Energon exposure than the Primes. During The Fallen's battle, he had only been electrocuted ONCE in the entire fight. The other Primes had been electrocuted more times, which maybe explained why Megatron's team had found it easier to dispose of them than they would have. But he also remembered that Megatron himself had been electrocuted and yet he wasn't any weaker. Maybe...

"Megatron, I think I know what is wrong with you." the Prime declared, "The Fallen electrocuted you with Dark Energon during the battle with him. It is possible the Dark Energon could be messing with your mind and making you insane as a result! Maybe if we remove it from you..."

"Desperately trying to understand me now? Ha, ha, ha! You're more delusional than I thought Optimus!" Megatron sneered, "My mind is completely unaffected! Nothing can dominate my mind! My will and my conscience are indomitable! The Dark Energon had no effect on me and you know it, you saw it for yourself! I even had Shockwave run a diagnosis on me and he reported that I was perfectly normal with no ill effects from the Dark Energon exposure!"

Optimus understood. This maybe explained why he wasn't weaker like the Primes were. But at the same time, it made any chance of his friend being redeemed even smaller now. If he wasn't doing this because of Dark Energon effecting him, than his betrayal was clearly genuine. As tragic as it was, he had to accept what had happened. His friend was gone and there was no saving him. Trying to put his grief aside, Optimus raised his sword once more.

"Then the one I called "brother" is truly lost...as hard as it'll be for me Megatron, I'll have to put you down." he declared.

"You are welcome to try, Prime!" the gladiator crowed.

With both combatants ready to fight, they charged towards each other and swung their swords. Incredibly, they both managed to hit each other, both weapons slamming down onto their shoulders. Optimus and Megatron cried out from the impact and both recoiled to launch another attack at one another. They clashed swords several times before Optimus raised one leg and attempted to roundhouse kick Megatron in the head. Despite the speed and power put into the kick, he managed to miss as Megatron leaned over backwards having anticipated the move. He then swung forwards, head-butting Optimus directly in the face and momentarily disorienting him. The Prime stumbled but recovered quickly, holding up an arm to block a kick from Megatron that was aimed at his head. He withstood the blow and countered with a heavy punch to the centre of Megatron's torso. The gladiator reeled back and only just had time to hold his arms up in an X shape as Optimus tried to dropkick him. He buckled under the pressure of the kick but didn't fall. He threw his arms aside while Optimus's leg was still close to him, hitting it and throwing Optimus off-balance. He crashed down onto his side, wincing from the hit, but he quickly rolled aside as Megatron tried to stab him with his sword. The Kaon resident's sword hit the floor, but didn't penetrate it as the floor was too hard. It managed to leave a faint scratch at worst.

Optimus picked himself up as Megatron drew his arm back and he grabbed hold of him in a tight bear-hug. His arms closed around Megatron as tightly as they could, locking him in a tight embrace. Megatron growled viciously and tried to break free, writhing around as Optimus tried to keep him restrained. The grapple only lasted a few seconds before it was broken up by Megatron throwing himself back first into a wall, making Optimus grunt and let go of him upon impact. Now free, the champion spun around and seized Optimus by the head. He threw him aside into another wall, throwing him so hard that Optimus actually dented the wall when he hit it! Optimus collapsed onto the floor, groaning. Even his training from Sentinel Prime couldn't have prepared him for the savage fighting style of a Kaon Gladiator. But he was determined not to give up. He wouldn't let Megatron win no matter what! He leapt back to his feet and deployed his arm cannons. Now a Prime, he could fire much more powerful shots than he could as Orion Pax. He let loose a volley of laser fire, hitting Megatron and making him stagger back. Even he was amazed at how heavily the shots were landing on him. He aimed his Fusion Cannon and began shooting back, the two combatants exchanging blows between each other with every shot fired.

Optimus and Megatron both fired at each other, their shots hurling straight into each other and cancelling one another out. Optimus took aim with his arm cannon again and Megatron did the same. But instead of shooting directly at him, Optimus instead lowered his own cannon and shot Megatron in the foot. The gladiator hadn't expected that and cried out in pain as he was hit. Now distracted, Optimus charged towards Megatron and barged into him, whisking him off his feet and pounding him straight into the wall. He used one arm to press against his opponent's chest to keep him pinned and used his other arm to punch Megatron's face repeatedly. He punched him so hard that he actually caused his enemy to spit Energon out. He drew his arm back, ready for another punch, but he didn't get to throw it for Megatron managed to raise his Fusion Cannon and shoot him, the shot landing just below his head. It was enough to cause serious damage and throw him away though. Optimus crashed down on his back, clutching his face as he felt the metal singe from the force of the blast. The circuitry in his neck was exposed and most of his face had been blackened by the fusion blast. If he received another shot to the head, it would obliterate it completely. Megatron strode over to Optimus, looking down at him with arrogance in his optics. His face was curled into a triumphant grin, clearly believing he'd won and this fight was over.

"It's not so easy when you go it alone is it Prime?" Megatron sneered, "You needed the Primes, myself, my crew and several Iacon citizens to finish The Fallen! Alone? You can barely stand up to me! You were truly undeserving of becoming a Prime Optimus..."

He aimed his Fusion Cannon directly at Optimus's head, intending to finish him off once and for all. It would be quick and painless, just a single shot to the head and he'd be dead. But he never got the chance to finish off his former friend. He suddenly screamed in pain as something ran up behind him and sliced him across the back. It was Sentinel! Despite looking heavily damaged from fighting Megatron's cohorts, he still seemed to be in fighting condition. The elder Prime had fought off his opponents long enough to help Optimus. Megatron turned around to see who was attacking him but Sentinel swung his shield directly into his face, snapping his head backwards and knocking him down. He ran over to his student and helped him back to his feet, though Optimus was still clutching his face.

"Optimus! We must leave now!" Sentinel declared, "This battle is lost! Me and Vector are weakened thanks to the Dark Energon and Megatron's forces are too much for us!"

"Ungh...I agree Sentinel..." Optimus muttered, wincing in pain from the shot he'd received, "I can barely stand up...to Megatron. I wouldn't fare...any better against him with his team at the same time."

"Me and Vector are only just able to fight off Megatron's cohorts in our weakened state." Sentinel said grimly, "We need to retreat and fight again when we're all in better condition."

Before any of them could flee though, Sentinel was sent flying through the air as something suddenly ran up to him and backhanded him from behind. Megatron had recovered from Sentinel's onslaught and caught him by surprise, watching now as Sentinel hit the floor. He tried to follow that up with a Fusion Cannon blast but Vector Prime jumped in and grabbed onto the gladiator. The time master wrestled with Megatron, showing surprising strength despite his injuries. He had a lot of marks, scratches and chunks of armour missing from being shot at several times but he didn't seem to falter. Even Megatron was surprised at how well the injured Prime was holding onto him. It was quite clear that Sentinel and Vector weren't as badly effected by the Dark Energon as the other Primes had been. The two Primes watched as Vector held Megatron back, the revolutionist growling angrily as he pulled back to try and free himself.

"Go now! I'll hold them off!" Vector Prime yelled, "Escape while you still can!"

"We cannot leave you behind Vector! We're the only Primes left alive!" Sentinel cried.

"It'd be better if two Primes are still alive than none at all!" Vector retorted, "Now go!"

Sentinel nodded, feeling grim that this was the decision that had been made. He hated the idea of leaving a good friend like Vector behind, but he knew that he had no choice. Vector was right, it would be better if at least he and Optimus were still alive. The two Primes transformed and prepared to go. Shockwave, who had been knocked down by Vector earlier, picked himself up and aimed his cannon arm, hoping to blow the two escapees up before they could flee. Vector saw this and reacted quickly, wrestling Megatron around and kicking him into the cyclopean scientist. The two bots sprawled on the floor in a heap as Megatron crashed into his comrade. Vector now saw the opportunity for himself to escape along with the others. But just as the time master was about to transform, a stray missile fired out of nowhere and hit him in the legs, bringing him down flat onto his face. Vector Prime grunted, pain searing through his legs from the attack. The assailant had been Starscream, who had finally managed to pick himself up after being battered by Sentinel earlier and fired the missiles to stop Vector from fleeing. Now he was down, Megatron saw the opportunity to finish him off. He got to his feet and ran over to Vector just as he was trying to stand up again. He let out a gasp of surprise as he felt something sharp stab through his back and plunge through so deep that it reemerged through his stomach. Megatron had plunged his sword deep into the Prime's back, mortally wounding him and causing him to bleed heavily. Energon spilled out of his abdomen, staining the floor.

Optimus and Sentinel had seen what had happened through their rear-view mirrors and both reacted with horror. They were tempted to stop and help their fellow Prime. But both knew it was too late for him now. Vector was on death's door, there was nothing they could do for him now. But they hadn't gone far, so they heard the time master give out his last words.

"Optimus...Sentinel...you must...lead us...now..." he croaked, his voice strained as if it took him whatever strength he had left just to so much as speak.

The two Primes didn't need to stay around any longer. They knew that they had heard Vector speak for the last time. He had said they must lead now, and they were determined to make sure their fallen comrade's words weren't in vain. Starting up their engines, they continued to drive away. Starscream and Soundwave began shooting at them wildly, hoping to tag them before they could escape but the Primes were too fast. They disappeared around a corner at the end of the corridor. The two fliers were heavily tempted to try flying after them but the corridor was too narrow. They had enough room to transform, but not enough to fly in their vehicle modes. Starscream could fly in his robot mode, but his jetpack had been damaged in the fight and it sparked heavily as he tried to use it. Shockwave knew that transforming into his tank mode and chasing them would be useless too. He wasn't fast enough to catch them, not with how far ahead they had gotten now. Optimus and Sentinel were beyond their reach for now, they would just have to deal with them later. Megatron pulled his sword out of Vector Prime's lifeless body, the weapon stained with Energon, and he turned around angrily to his cohorts.

"How could we lose them?!" he roared, "We were so close to killing all the Primes and two of them have evaded our grasp!"

"It wasn't our fault Megatron!" Starscream protested pathetically, "We fought them off as best as we could while you fought Optimus! They just proved tougher than we thought! The Dark Energon obviously didn't effect them as badly as we expected!"

"It was illogical of us to announce our presence to them instead of relying on our stealth like we have done for the others." Shockwave muttered, "We're all responsible for this failure."

"SILENCE!" Megatron bellowed, "They will have to wait for now! We still at least have one more Prime we can terminate! Alpha Trion still lives and his signal comes, not from in this building, but in the Hall of Records according to Soundwave." he explained, motioning over to the communications expert.

"So we're going to scrap him next?" Starscream asked, "No complaints from me. It'll make up for losing Optimus and Sentinel!" he purred, grinning wickedly.

"And to narrow their chances of staying alive, we shall make an announcement to the world that the age of the Primes is over and our new reign is beginning." Megatron declared, "Our supporters will come rallying to us to will happily join us in our desire to kill the last two Primes in existence. Anyone who wishes to join us can join our cause while anyone who denies us will be slaughtered! We can also free all prisoners that are locked up, pardon them of their crimes and offer them a place in our new order."

"A logical idea." Shockwave agreed, "The criminal kind will be thankful to us for relinquishing them from their incarceration and join our side happily. I know for a fact Motormaster and his men, crime-lords Mindwipe and Thunderhoof, the revolutionary Steeljaw and many more will be easily swayed by our offer."

"Indeed." Megatron said, grinning delightedly at the very thought of having more soldiers for his coming army, "But first, we need a name. We need a label for us all to carry, to signify the new order of Cybertron and the end of the Primes! A badge of honour for us all to carry and a name for all our supporters to chant in our name!"

"What to call ourselves though?" Starscream, "Not the "New Primes" or something like that. That doesn't quite say "us" does it? We need something reflective of our rebellion!"

"We did pull off some very deceptive cons tonight." Shockwave noted, "And we're fighting to make sure nobody is deceived by the Primes again. Our name should reflect that."

"Deceptive cons..." Megatron murmured, stroking his chin in thought, "That sounds quite menacing, even empowering...and it fits our agenda tonight! Deceptive cons...deception...how about..." he paused as he thought about the name before finally coming up with something that would go down in Cybertornian history as one of the most fearsome words the world would ever know. A simple fusion of two single words would form the very name that Cybertronians would go onto worship or oppose.

"My disciples. From this day forward, we are officially known...as... **the Decepticons!** " Megatron declared.

* * *

Meanwhile, Optimus and Sentinel Prime had managed to flee the Palace of the Primes and were driving as far away from the political building as they dared. They further away they got from Megatron and his comrades, the better. As of now, the two didn't really have much of a plan for what to do next. Their biggest focus was just getting away and making sure they were alive to fight another day. The two Primes didn't stop driving until they could no longer see the Palace of the Primes behind them. They had gone so deep into Iacon that the building had disappeared from view. Now they felt safe, Optimus and Sentinel transformed back into robot mode and looked around briefly just to make doubly sure they were alone. Megatron and his team hadn't followed them. Satisfied, the Primes now felt they could talk without any fears of being attacked.

"We were lucky we escaped with our lives my son..." Sentinel murmured. It was just about the only thing he could say.

"I still hated having to leave Vector Prime behind." Optimus said sadly, "We could've saved him and we could've have another Prime still alive."

"There was nothing we could do Optimus." Sentinel said, shaking his head, "I am sorry my young apprentice, but we were unprepared for this assassination and thus, were caught by surprise. If we could've anticipated what had happened, we might've had a chance. As is, we are the only Primes left and we must continue in their name if we're to ensure the world that the Age of Primes is not over. Megatron hasn't won yet, we still live and we have a chance to take back what is ours. Mark my words Optimus, we will make those monsters pay for their crimes!"

Optimus nodded, approving of Sentinel's unflinching resolve. Despite being weakened and with most of the Primes dead, he was still determined that all was not lost and that Megatron would be defeated. How was he still confident in himself despite all these setbacks? He himself had been feeling the weight of tonight's tragedies bear down on him and yet, Sentinel still seemed as strong as ever as if even the horrors of this very night couldn't bring him down. It was yet another reason why he felt privileged to have a mentor like Sentinel. His strong will, endless courage and great wisdom made him admirable to him. The new Prime looked up at his teacher, seeing that the old Prime still had that fiery spark in his optics. It meant he was truly not defeated yet, no matter how bad things had gotten.

"I will help you put an end to Megatron's revolution Sentinel. No matter the cost." Optimus declared.

"I'm glad to hear that from you my student." Sentinel said approvingly, "And I'm proud with how you performed tonight. You stood your ground well and held your own against Megatron. For a first time fighting as a Prime, you did execllently."

"I'm...not sure if I feel the same way." Optimus said uncertainly, "I did fight as hard as I could but my best wasn't enough. I still lost. And you maybe disappointed in me Sentinel...but I have a feeling that subconsciously, I may have been holding back in that fight." He looked away, too guilty to even look in his master's eyes.

"Holding back? What do you mean?" the elderly Prime asked curiously.

"I know I wanted to defeat Megatron, I really did." the younger Prime explained, "I was so disgusted with what he'd done that I wanted nothing more than for Megatron to be defeated and locked up in a secure cell for the rest of his days. But...he was my friend. He was like a brother for me. And it could've been that bond between us as to why I didn't feel as if I could properly take him down. I was possibly holding back...because I couldn't find the strength to finish him. How could I with how close we were?"

Sentinel Prime had listened to every word, patiently allowing his student to explain himself. He had a look of astonishment on his face, but there was also sympathy mixed in there too. He shook his head grimly. Optimus looked down at his feet, dreading the inevitable lecture he was going to receive from his teacher. But Sentinel's face hadn't changed. He didn't look angry.

"I've told you many times about not holding back." he said sternly, "In battle, you NEVER hold back. It's what allows your opponents to win if you don't fight at full strength. But I suppose I cannot really fault you for doing so either. I cannot imagine what it's like having to face a former friend as I've never done so myself. The Fallen doesn't count as I never really considered him a friend, just like the rest of the Primes didn't. But I can guess that it'd be very hard, as it's not just an enemy you're fighting..." he mused, trailing off as he went deep into thought over the situation.

"Yes. Fighting the one you once called "friend" is not the same as an enemy." Optimus agreed, "And also, a part of me wonders if Megatron could be saved at all. Saved from his own twisted delusions. Maybe that is also why I held back." he thought.

Sentinel mulled over Optimus's words for a moment. Yes, he supposed it made sense. Maybe if he'd had a friend that turned traitor, he probably would've had a difficult time fighting him too. He really couldn't fault Optimus for holding back at all. He hoped that this act of empathy on Optimus's part wouldn't be their own undoing. Deciding to change the subject, Sentinel held up his arm and opened up a panel to reveal some buttons he had built into it.

"We must warn our people about Megatron's coup." he declared, "We must also warn Alpha Trion too. He won't be aware of their coup as he left the Palace of the Primes earlier this night."

"I know. He resigned from the council as you said." Optimus recalled, "If I know Alpha, he'll be in the Hall of Records still. I hope he is OK."

Sentinel pressed down on one of the buttons in his arm and spoke aloud. It looked like he was talking to his own arm, but in fact, his arm contained a communications device that was activated by pressing down on a certain button and would only activate if the button was kept pressed.

"Alpha Trion, this is Sentinel Prime! We have urgent news for you!" the Prime cried frantically.

His response was none other than static. That already made the elder Prime's spark leap in worry. A static response was NEVER good news.

"Alpha Trion! Are you there? Answer me, please!" Sentinel barked desperately.

He received no reply. Optimus began to grow very concerned for the historian. Why wasn't he answering Sentinel's calls?! He knew deep in his spark that something was wrong. Without waiting for any orders, Optimus transformed back into his truck mode and drove off quickly, his engine roaring as he thrust himself into full throttle. Sentinel saw him drive off and he called out after him.

"OPTIMUS! COME BACK HERE!" he cried, "YOU COULD GET YOURSELF KILLED OUT THERE!"

But the former librarian wasn't listening. Even if he had, he wouldn't have heard his mentor shouting to him for his engine was too loud and he had already driven a considerable distance away. Fearing for Optimus's life, Sentinel transformed and chased after him. He had a feeling he knew where Optimus was going. Both he and Optimus knew where Alpha Trion would be given the historian often hung out at the Hall of Records. He even spent more time there than he did in the Palace of the Primes. But Alpha Trion wasn't answering, meaning something terrible was happening and Optimus was rushing in there without any idea on what was going on! In vehicle mode, Sentinel was fast but Optimus was slightly faster. Even at top speed, the former Elite Guard found himself struggling to catch up to his student for he was faster and was already a good distance ahead. Still, at least Optimus wouldn't be going in alone.

A few minutes later, Optimus and Sentinel arrived at the Hall of Records. As they approached the library, they were very quick to see that something was very wrong. There was a huge plume of smoke billowing out of the building and several windows had been shattered. And if that wasn't insidious enough an indicator that all was not well, they could see three jets in the sky leaving the scene and one tank trundling away. Megatron and his team had got there first and must've attacked Alpha Trion! They were too high up or too far away for any of them to catch now so the Primes had to let them go for now. They only cared about seeing if Alpha Trion was OK. Activating their hover pads, Optimus and Sentinel both hovered over the debris and through the hole that had been blown into the doors of the building. They could already imagine it in their heads what had happened: a single explosion, the doors destroyed, and the four murderous Cybertronians storming inside to claim the life of one of the only living Primes in the world. They drove through the smoke and transformed, quickly seeing that the damage inside looked as bad as outside. There were shelves of data files either destroyed or knocked down, their contents lying on the floor either cracked or completely smashed to pieces. Optimus took all of this in with horror, unable to believe what had happened. The very place he had worked in for days on end...reduced to this! A complete wreckage of what had once been a great place to gather and store information. Was there no limit to Megatron's lunacy?!

And then he saw the one thing he'd been dreading more than anything. Sentinel's optics cast over to where Optimus was looking. His mouth dropped open in despair as he saw what he had hoped he wouldn't see. There, lying on the floor, completely lifeless with Energon spilling out of a gaping hole in his chest...was Alpha Trion. The Holder of the Quill was dead. They didn't even have to look closely to see it. The light in his eyes had gone out and the hole in his chest was enough to say it had been fatal. Optimus approached the dead historian, feeling overwhelmed with grief and despair. He was even having a hard time accepting what he was seeing. He fell to his knees just beside Alpha's body. He pounded the floor in a mixture of anger and sadness.

"No...no..." he croaked, his voice distant. He found himself unable to say anything else aside from "no".

"We were too late..." Sentinel muttered, more full of anger than sadness as he clenched his fists, "If only we'd gone straight here instead of fleeing for our lives! We could've prevented this from happening! As it is...we are now the only Primes left to rule Cybertron!"

He looked down at Optimus, who still looked grief-stricken over the dead Prime he was still kneeling before. It was as if he was hoping that if he prayed with all his might, he might somehow revive the fallen Cybertronian. Sentinel approached Optimus and gently touched his back. He didn't want to interrupt his student while he was releasing his grief, but he knew he had to. They couldn't stay here, not with the threat of Megatron still at large.

"Come my son. We must go. We cannot do anything for Alpha Trion now." he said softly.

Optimus didn't seem to have heard him at first, but a few seconds later, he got up to his feet and turned away, leaving Alpha's body where it was. He glanced at his master once, saying only one thing to him:

"Yes...we must go. Alpha wouldn't want us to stand and grieve while there are murderers still at large."

And that was that. He just transformed and left the building. Sentinel followed, seeing no reason to stay. The two Primes drove away, leaving the Hall of Records to continue smoking away...

* * *

While Optimus and Sentinel had been leaving the Hall of Records, Megatron and his team had returned to Kaon to prepare for their announcement to the world. All four were pleased with themselves on how quickly they'd managed to finish off Alpha Trion after they'd launched their attack on the Hall of Records. With only two Primes left, who could stop them now? Megatron had thought that making his announcement in Kaon would be more appropriate for he and his team and he also thought that the Decepticon faction could begin their reign by claiming Kaon as their base. What better way to start a new kingdom than with the city you were born in? Megatron liked to think that his Decepticons would raise Kaon up from being the lowly city known for its brutal gladiator tournaments to being the symbol of Cybertron's new order, and one that towers high above Iacon. To them, Iacon was a symbol of oppression and Kaon was their symbol of freedom, and they would make sure the world knew it.

The four Decepticons approached a towering skyscraper that looked more evil in appearance than inviting thanks to having spiked architecture and some narrow groves that made it look as if it had evil eyes staring out at anybody watching it. This skyscraper was known as "Darkmount" and was famous among Kaon citizens for being the tallest building in the city. It seemed appropriate for Megatron's message to be broadcast from this building. Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave landed at the very top of Darkmount, standing on a balcony that reached out from the skyscraper's top floor and offered the perfect view of Kaon below. Shockwave drove into the skyscraper and transformed so he could climb up to the top floor and join them. The Decepticons waited for him to arrive before they made their message. Thankfully, Shockwave didn't take long to get there, arriving at the top floor of Darkmount in a couple of minutes. He stood by Megatron and Starscream while Soundwave stood in front of them, ready to broadcast their message. He was already hacking into the world's computer and display monitors to make sure every Cybertronian in the world could see this.

"Are you in to the world's monitors yet Soundwave?" Megatron asked.

The sound engineer nodded.

"Then let us make the Decepticon name known to the public and find out who are the traitors that don't want a new order and who are the loyalists who will follow our cause!" the Decepticon leader declared.

"I sure hope that we have more followers than detractors..." Starscream muttered.

"It won't matter how many will appose us. They'll only fall to our hands like the pathetic Primes did!" Megatron declared.

He fixed his optics on Soundwave, ready to make his speech. He could already feel the excitement buzzing in his Energon stream. Soon the whole world would know his name and the Decepticon faction would become the new symbol of law and order in this world!

* * *

Back in Iacon, Optimus and Sentinel were still driving through the city, looking for anybody so they could pass on their warnings on what had happened tonight. It was unfortunate for them that it was night time and not many Cybertronians were still awake. Many of them were powering down for the night or they were having some time to themselves to enjoy a moment of respite. But they knew they'd come across somebody eventually. As they turned a corner and headed down another junction, they saw that not everybody was retiring to their homes for the night. There was a large crowd assembled together and staring at a huge screen that was mounted on a skyscraper. The screen was meant to broadcast music and visual entertainment for anybody in the city to watch but it was instead completely static and buzzing loudly as if there was a malfunction going on. Everybody was staring at it in confusion, wondering what was happening. Optimus and Sentinel transformed and approached the crowd, making sure they weren't seen or heard. Not like there was any chance of that since nobody was paying attention to anything else aside from the screen. The last-remaining Primes in existence stared at the screen, sharing the audience's confusion.

"What's happening now?!" Sentinel groaned.

"First Megatron turns on us and murders the Primes, now Iacon's entertainment system malfunctions?" Optimus murmured.

But he soon understood what was really happening. The static screen finally cleared and the buzzing was replaced with actual sound. On the screen, glowering at everybody watching him...was Megatron! Only his head and shoulders were seen, the rest of his body off-screen as that was all Soundwave could fit in. The crowd gasped in amazement, surprised and puzzled to see the face of Kaon's champion looking at them. They all murmured to one another, wondering what was going on, before their attention was grabbed back to the screen as Megatron spoke. His voice boomed out of the sound systems all around, clear as daylight. It was like he was standing in front of them, live in person, instead of broadcasting himself from the other side of a screen.

"Attention Cybertron!" Megatron boomed, "I demand that you all pay attention to what I am about to say! My words tonight are about to make history and set a few changes to our world's status quo!"

The audience all stared, unable to take their optics away from the Cybertronian on the screen. Optimus and Sentinel were watching too, their expressions more angry than curious for they knew what was happening. At least they didn't have to worry about warning anybody about Megatron's coup since he was doing it for them!

"I am Megatron, Champion of the Pits of Kaon...and Cybertron's new ruler." the gladiator-turned-revolutionist announced, "Tonight, I have joined forces with my most loyal supporters to relieve Cybertron of a great evil that has plagued this world for far too long! The Primes have shown their true colours by bestowing the title of "Prime" to a lowly, undeserving individual that you may all know formerly as "Orion Pax". They've denied me the credit I deserve for playing a part in The Fallen's defeat and given all the glory to a meager librarian who didn't even have any desire to become a Prime!"

The audience murmured, wondering how to take this.

"I played a part in The Fallen's demise! I warned the Primes that he had betrayed us and wanted to conquer our world!" Megatron ranted, "I even fought with all my might and proved myself more worthy of being a Prime than anybody else! But did the Primes acknowledge my contributions to The Fallen's destruction? Did they give credit to one of Cybertron's greatest heroes and the valour he displayed that day? No. They just ignored me and gave all credit to the one you now know as "Optimus Prime". The Primes have shown themselves to be prejudiced, biased, completely blind to the achievements of those that the perceive as "below them"! They're haughty, arrogant individuals who seek to stroke their own egos and worship those whom they perceive as "true" heroes and instead of acknowledging who their heroes are, they just decide who is and who isn't! The Primes have proven themselves unworthy of ruling our planet! So I took matters into my own hands and slaughtered them all!"

That earned a chorus of horrified gasps from the crowd upon receiving this news. Only Optimus and Sentinel had no reaction for they already knew this. They were just disgusted that Megatron was spinning the events of that day and making himself look like the victim in all of this, while also acting like he was somehow a "hero" for murdering the Primes.

"The Age of Primes is at an end!" Megatron continued, "It is time for a new order to rule this planet! An order that will rule Cybertron with the promise of power, glory and the freedom for all Cybertronians to do as they please! I have started this new order by destroying the Primes! Now you, the people of Cybertron, can continue this glorious new age by swearing allegiance to me and my lieutenants! This night marks the beginning of the Decepticon Reign! The Decepticon faction promises a free Cybertron with no more of the Primes' arrogance blinding the truth and manipulating the populace into their own way of thinking! You all have the opportunity to become Decepticons yourselves! Join my faction and make Cybertron a planet worth living on once again! If you refuse to join the Decepticons...then you're traitors who deserve death as much as the Primes themselves! Do you wish to associate yourself with them? I should hope not. The Decepticon faction would hate to have to arrest anyone. Come Cybertronians, let us all come together as one, AND LEAD OUR PLANET INTO A GLORIOUS FUTURE! You have the potential to play a part in Cybertron's new era, the era of the Decepticons! Join me now and prove your loyalty to the world! And woe betide any who seek to undermine my authority. Let this be a warning to all who may refuse my offer... **I SHALL NOT BE DENIED!** "

The screen returned to static as Megatron's message concluded. The audience was left to do nothing aside from converse amongst each other and discuss what they had heard. They were all in hysterics, unsure what to do and how to process what they had just heard. Many couldn't even believe what they had heard and began doubting if Megatron was being serious or making hollow threats. Optimus and Sentinel walked away, deciding not to get caught up in the whole thing. They would wait until things cooled down before they made themselves known and ease the anxieties among the people. The two didn't even know what to say to make the popular feel better at the moment so it was best that they had an idea on what to say before trying to reassure the populace that the Decepticon faction would be stopped. Once they were alone, they began talking to each other.

"Megatron has said some powerful words. True many of his words are half-truths or outright lies, but anybody who doesn't know the true context will believe them." Sentinel muttered bitterly, "And anyone who supports Megatron will join his side out of loyalty to him. The lowly criminals will also hurry to his side to get back at us, whether they're free or imprisoned. I fear that this "Decepticon" faction will grow considerably as time goes by. It'll be more than just those four. We're on the cusp of fighting an even bigger battle than we could've expected."

"This is no longer just Megatron and his three lieutenants." Optimus agreed, "We'll be well on the way to fighting against an army, an army that seeks to replace the Primes as the new rulers of Cybertron and will destroy anyone who gets in their way. This is no longer just a revolution...this is the eve of potential war."

"And it is a war we must fight in order to bring freedom back to the planet." Sentinel declared, "I am sorry to say this Optimus, but we will have to put aside our pacifist intentions. We are no longer the Primes, rulers of Cybertron. We must become war generals and fight back against the Decepticon faction!"

"But we are not ready for war!" Optimus exclaimed, "And we cannot fight against the Decepticons alone! The two of us are no match for a whole army!"

"I know." the elder Prime agreed, "Which is why WE need to create an army of our own to fight back. We will open applications to any Cybertronians not loyal to Megatron and take them in. We will train them to be soldiers, and we will fight back against the Decepticons! Megatron gave his faction a name, we need one for our army too. What should we call ourselves?"

The two Primes though for a moment, wondering on the name. What name would prove fitting for an army led by them?

"We should call ourselves something that says who we are, what the people of Cybertron call themselves." Optimus deduced.

"We're Autonomous Robotic Organisms. Anyone joining our side will do so to prove that's what they are, not murderous beasts like Megatron!" Sentinel cried.

"Autonomous Robotic Organisms..." Optimus pondered, mulling over the words for a moment, "Hmm...we wouldn't want to call ourselves that as that's too long a name for an army faction..."

He began to play around with the words in his mind, a skill that had passed onto him from his days as a librarian. He always liked to play with words and even make up some new ones. And right now, he had just came up with the perfect name for the faction that would oppose the Decepticons. A name that would go down in history as one of the most important in the world. A name that would bring hope and joy to the world of Cybertron.

"Sentinel, we should call ourselves... **the Autobots.** " Optimus decided.

Sentinel nodded, clearly liking the name. His face was full of approval for it.

"Autobots, we shall be." the old Prime agreed, "At sunrise, we will make our faction known and see who will be willing to fight for Cybertron's freedom. The Decepticons better beware...the Autobots will be coming for them!"

* * *

 _ **Where one faction begins, another is created! We've had the birth of the Decepticon faction, but it seems that there's another new faction to challenge them coming on the horizon! Who will be willing to join The Autobots? Will they ever be a match for the Decepticons?**_

 _ **Tune in next time as we see the Autobot "Training Camp" to see who has potential to fight for Cybertron's freedom...**_


End file.
